The Geography of Generosity

Metropolitan Disparities in Donations and Support for Amenities

Bibliographic Data

ID8375908
AuthorsJulian Wolpert (Princeton University, corresponding author)
Year1988
Volume78
Issue4
Pages665-679
Publication date1988-12-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnnals of the Association of American Geographers (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0004-5608 • E-ISSN: 1467-8306
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-8306.1988.tb00237.x
OpenAlexW2113691989
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited25

Are some places in the United States more generous than others, even after allowing for differences in need and resources? Are the differences attributable to contextual factors unique to the individual places and their historical development, or do broad regional differences in values and welfare functions account for the patterns? The thesis examined in this study suggests that the patterns of both public and private support for social and amenity services are expressions of value differences that have both regional and place manifestations. Levels of support for cultural, educational, health, and social services and donor contributions for federated charities are analyzed for the eighty-five largest U.S. metropolitan areas, after allowances are made for their differences in resources, accessibility, and level of distress. The findings indicate general consistency between state and local public expenditures for dependent populations and local donor support for both amenity and social services, suggesting some underlying differences between places in generosity and civic commitment. The pattern of generous and parsimonious outliers reflect some regional differences but also the general effects of stage in city life-cycle development, the shadow impact of nearby metropolitan hubs, and other localized influences. Detailed historical studies are urged for follow-up analysis

Amenity · Demographic economics · Economic geography · Economic growth · Economics · Generosity · Geography · Metropolitan area · Political science · Regional science · Social Welfare · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Housing Market and Economics · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

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