Philanthropisms

Alisha Fernandez Miranda: Writing fiction about philanthropy

Rhodri Davies

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On this episode of the Philanthropisms podcast we talk to Alisha Fernandez Miranda, author of Someone's Gotta Give (out 5th August), a comic novel about the struggles of an American former fundraiser to balance motherhood, life in the UK and a new job working as a philanthropy adviser.

Including: 

  • How did the book come about?
  • How did the experience of working in philanthropy inform the book?
  • Which archetypes and situations are people who work in nonprofits and philanthropy most likely to recognize?
  • The book centres on the ethical and moral challenges of working within a flawed system to try and deliver impact/change, and the extent to which we are willing to make compromises in order to achieve some greater good – is this is a dilemma that a lot of people in the philanthropy world face?
  • What role can fiction play in helping to get a better understanding of debates about philanthropy?
  • Why hasn’t it been that widely covered as a topic in books, films and TV before?
  • What are some good examples of philanthropy and philanthropists in popular culture?
  • Are there major differences between the culture of philanthropy in the UK and the US? 

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