Gifts, Virtues and Obligations of University Volunteering: The Proper Thing to Do

This book explores the complex and culturally situated nature of university volunteering, using anthropological theories of reciprocal gift exchange to understand its value-laden and conflicting ways. It contains a case study of a UK university and examples from the United States and Australia, addressing why people do what they do and why volunteering motives and outcomes attract differing interpretations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book takes a critical, grounded, and ethnographic approach to delve deeper into the realm of university volunteering. By employing anthropological theories of reciprocal gift exchange, it explores the intricate and often conflicting ways of understanding volunteering, whether it is seen as freely undertaken, coerced, altruistic, or self-interested. Furthermore, it investigates how the changing uses and expectations of volunteering are intertwined with power dynamics and the influence of social norms or structural constraints on agency.

The book provides a comprehensive case study of a UK university, focusing on its relationships with local communities and voluntary organizations to showcase the multifaceted and culturally situated nature of volunteering and the gift. Joanna Puckering also draws on examples from countries like the United States and Australia to address broader questions about why people engage in volunteering and why the motives and outcomes of volunteering are subject to different interpretations.

This volume is of interest to scholars from anthropology, sociology, and geography, as well as those involved in the higher education, voluntary, corporate, and social enterprise sectors. It offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of university volunteering and its broader societal implications.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032126159