From Seva to Cyberspace
The Many Faces of Volunteering in India
- Femida Handy - University of Pennsylvania, USA
- Meenaz Kassam - American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Sharjah Jillian Ingold - PhD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Bhagyashree Ranade - Marketing and Market Research Consultants, Pune
November 2011 | 272 pages | SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd
From Seva to Cyberspace examines the phenomenon of volunteering in India from its earliest instances to present-day manifestations. Tracing the origins of voluntary action in India, the authors examine the historic, religious, and cultural traditions of Seva (direct service to others) that have played an important role in inspiring Indians toward voluntary action.
The book defines the volunteer and discusses the methods of measuring the value of volunteer labor to NGOs. It includes a detailed discussion of the particular contributions of the oldest and youngest volunteers in India. The distinctive motivations and contributions of those with a religious inspiration for voluntary action are explored at length, as are the important issues of service clubs and corporate support for volunteer activities. A unique feature of the book is that it is enriched with narratives and case studies of individuals and organizations that throw light on specific aspects of volunteerism in the Indian context.
The book concludes by taking a look at new trends and the strong continuing traditions that inspire modern volunteers to offer their time and talents in the service of society.
The book defines the volunteer and discusses the methods of measuring the value of volunteer labor to NGOs. It includes a detailed discussion of the particular contributions of the oldest and youngest volunteers in India. The distinctive motivations and contributions of those with a religious inspiration for voluntary action are explored at length, as are the important issues of service clubs and corporate support for volunteer activities. A unique feature of the book is that it is enriched with narratives and case studies of individuals and organizations that throw light on specific aspects of volunteerism in the Indian context.
The book concludes by taking a look at new trends and the strong continuing traditions that inspire modern volunteers to offer their time and talents in the service of society.
Foreword Shabana Azmi
Preface
Introduction
| A Brief History of Volunteering in India: When Did It Start? |
| Volunteering: Who Is a Volunteer? |
| The Young Ones: Do Youth Volunteer? |
| Corporate Social Responsibility: Promoting Employee Volunteering? |
| Volunteering by Mature Adults in India: Never Too Late? |
| Religious Volunteering: Serving God? |
| The Value of Volunteering: What Is It Worth? |
| Old and New Trends in Volunteering: Virtual Volunteers, What Next? |
Bibliography
Index
Insights of value to the different stakeholders in the sphere of volunteering.
The authors belong to different social science disciplines and are equipped to present a broad and multilayered canvas of volunteerism in India, which in itself is a kaleidoscopic phenomenon...A chapter-wise, extensive bibliography an index in the book will come in handy for the interested readers for further exploration of the theme. The format of chapters is simple and flowing. Free of glitches...recommended for professionals and practitioners of social work and volunteering.