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.

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.