Abstract
Private philanthropic foundations—nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations with assets provided by donors for socially
useful purposes—have become key political actors in global sustainability governance. Their collective efforts amount to over
USD 112 billion for the implementation of the United Nations (UNs)’s ambitious plan to deliver on seventeen interconnected
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This corresponds to about a quarter of governmental contribution through official
development assistance for the same purposes. Many of these foundations implicitly or explicitly aim to foster global justice,
through, for example, empowering women, reducing inequalities, and promoting democracy. They thus act as justice agents
shaping the substance and practice of justice in global sustainability governance. But what does this direction of private money
into supporting global justice norms really mean? This question deserves scrutiny, especially against a context of diverse and
contested meanings of justice and because philanthropy—beyond an act of giving—is often an exercise of power. Using critical
discourse analysis of texts produced by selected foundations that are key funders of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda,
this paper examines how private foundations frame global justice and with what implications for sustainability governance
useful purposes—have become key political actors in global sustainability governance. Their collective efforts amount to over
USD 112 billion for the implementation of the United Nations (UNs)’s ambitious plan to deliver on seventeen interconnected
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This corresponds to about a quarter of governmental contribution through official
development assistance for the same purposes. Many of these foundations implicitly or explicitly aim to foster global justice,
through, for example, empowering women, reducing inequalities, and promoting democracy. They thus act as justice agents
shaping the substance and practice of justice in global sustainability governance. But what does this direction of private money
into supporting global justice norms really mean? This question deserves scrutiny, especially against a context of diverse and
contested meanings of justice and because philanthropy—beyond an act of giving—is often an exercise of power. Using critical
discourse analysis of texts produced by selected foundations that are key funders of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda,
this paper examines how private foundations frame global justice and with what implications for sustainability governance
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | ksac033 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Global Studies Quarterly |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) (2022).
Research programs
- ESSB PA