UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, 7th Annual International Postgraduate Conference

12:00 – 1:30: Panel A2: Philanthropy

Eglé Vaidelyté (Kaunas University of Technology): ‘Philanthropic action in modern Lithuania: between Christian morality and post-communist reality’

Philanthropy is a readiness to help others i.e. to eliminate social exclusion and to appear as an including key. However due to political and eventually social circumstances philanthropy as a civic phenomenon can appear in exclusion itself. The paper is based on the fact that Lithuania having an old philanthropy tradition starting with the Middle Ages, in nowadays is still rather weak at this civic point. This tendency occurs as a result of the soviet occupation that demolished the tradition and perverted the perception of philanthropic action. In nowadays philanthropic ideas are returning back to Lithuanian society, however at the same time to some extent these concepts are new in social life of Lithuania.

The study is based on the two-fold approach: (1) General approach to philanthropy as an element of modernization processes. The modern life in Lithuania has introduced the criteria of efficiency, rational choice, strategic development of any social action and made altruism more organized, by "doing with" instead of "doing for". The paradox lies in the fact that philanthropy having its modern qualities in action, in mentality (value) level still refers to the Christianity paradigm. Therefore, there are still a lot of discussions what are the right meanings of modern pure philanthropy: modern conception of social reciprocity or altruistic solidarity? (2) More particularistic approach to philanthropy, its perception and interpretations in post-communist settings ( based on empirical research and statistical data). The analysis of philanthropy phenomenon in post-communist settings reveals some rather interesting and challenging peculiarities of philanthropy related to the non-existence of philanthropic tradition during the communist period, underdeveloped philanthropic culture and welfare tradition, problematic role of the State, and etc.

Summarizing both approaches some challenging tendency could be noticed. Lithuanian legal and institutional basis as well as philanthropic action is rather oriented to modern strategic philanthropy concept, though majority of the philanthropic actors have identified the present philanthropic environment as having a great primary demand for the relief of social exclusion.