Why does “poverty porn” still exist?
Since the term “poverty porn” first appeared in 1981, much has been said about the exploitation of human suffering to inspire charitable giving. Yet for all that we’ve learned over the last four decades, many organizations still struggle to communicate their impact in a way that authentically represents the issue and preserves the dignity of […]
Exploitation in Fundraising Communications: 5 Critiques
In this article, I highlight the main critiques of exploitation in fundraising communications. Over the years many organizations, including nonprofits, media publications, and corporate entities, have been criticized for using exploitative language and imagery to inspire action. These communications are seen as taking advantage of the differences (access to resources, lived experience, race, geographic location, […]
Why Intercultural Competence Matters in Short-term Assignments
What kind of cultural preparation do staff, volunteers, and donors really need before embarking on a short assignment overseas? Here, I argue that it is more critical to provide cultural preparation for short-term assignments than it is for long-term ones. While much attention has been paid to the role of intercultural competence in long-term international […]
Assessing Intercultural Competence in One Question
Assessing someone’s intercultural competence is one of the most difficult things to do in an interview process, so let’s drill down into one question you can start using right away. Some years ago, an organization hiring a staff position that required 25% international travel asked me to come up with one question to assess a […]
Where Do You Stand? The Hottest Issues in Storytelling Ethics Today
Nonprofits have come a long way in our understanding of the potential harm that can be done by exploitative fundraising campaigns. However, we still struggle with certain storytelling practices. I’ve curated a list of the three hottest topics in ethical storytelling right now and presented both sides of each argument. How you should proceed with each […]