Celebrities are some of the most prominent faces of philanthropic activity, yet their participation raises certain questions. This book presents case studies of international celebrity philanthropy, looking at the tensions between celebrity activism and ground-level work and the relationship between celebrity philanthropy and cultural citizenship.

There is no question that celebrities these days are some of the most prominent faces of philanthropic activity – yet their participation raises questions about efficacy, motivations and activism overall. This book presents case studies of celebrity philanthropy from around the globe – including such figures as Shakira, Arundhati Roy, Zhang Ziyi, Bono and Madonna – looking at the tensions between celebrity activism and ground-level work and the relationship between celebrity philanthropy and cultural citizenship.

Series Editors’ Preface

Notes on Contributors

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: Celebrity Philanthropy: An Introduction

Elaine Jeffreys and Paul Allatson

Part 1: Rethinking Celebrity Philanthropy

Chapter 2: On Celebrity Philanthropy

Elaine Jeffreys

Chapter 3: Philanthropy, Celebrity and Incoherence

Jonathan Paul Marshall

Part 2: Branding and Development

Chapter 4: Tyra Banks’ Celebrity Philanthropy: Top Model, TZONE and the Communication of Female Empowerment

Dara Persis Murray

Chapter 5: Celebrating Development Through Sport: Right to Play and Basketball Without Borders

Rob Millington

Chapter 6: World Relations and Development Issues: Framing Celebrity Philanthropy Documentaries

Hilde Van den Bulck, Nathalie Claessens and Koen Panis

Chapter 7: Raising Africa? Celebrity and the Rhetoric of the White Saviour

Katherine M. Bell

Part 3: India, China and the Americas 

Chapter 8: Arundhati Roy versus the State of India: The Politics of Celebrity Philanthropy

Devleena Ghosh

Chapter 9: Celebrity Philanthropy in China and the Zhang Ziyi Scandal

Elaine Jeffreys

Chapter 10: Shakira, Ricky Martin and Celanthropic Latinidad in the Americas

Paul Allatson

Chapter 11: Afterword

Paul Allatson and Elaine Jeffreys

Index