The History, Theory and Practice of Non-Profits

In this course we will ask questions such as: How do nonprofits fit into the configurations of power, governance, and authority in the United States and on the global stage?  How do nonprofits bolster or hinder democratic traditions in the United States? What are the challenges nonprofits face in defining their distinctive roles against the functions performed by the government and by the market, and how are they meeting those challenges today? The class will involve both talks from prominent members of the DC nonprofit community as well as visits to several non-profit institutions themselves.

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