Home / Lectures / David Bornstein, Independent Journalist
Will Our Great-Grandchildren Go to Museums to See What Poverty Was?: The Emergence of Social Entrepreneurship and its Implications on Our Lives and on the World

David Bornstein, Independent Journalist
Description
Semester:
- Winter 2005
Speakers:
Lecture Time:
Fri, January 28, 2005 @ 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Lecture Location:
Asquith Auditorium, Lorch Hall
Speaker Webpage(s):
http://www.howtochangetheworld.org
Introduced By:
No introduction available.
Abstract
David Bornstein will discuss the emergence of the field of social entrepreneurship and its impact on societies, institutions and individuals around the world. Over the past 25 years, there has been a dramatic transformation in the global social arena – with the growth of millions of new citizen-led organizations that are redefining how societies are addressing problems from environmental threats to health crises to educational needs to poverty. The emergence of this vibrant and dynamic “citizen sector” – in which independent change-makers and their organizations are the leading proponents of new ideas and innovations — represents a historical turning point in the way societies initiate, support and systematically orchestrate social change. These changes — still under-appreciated — present new opportunities for spirited individuals of all ages from all fields who seek to apply their talents to improve society. The discussion will explore these changes with references to several examples from different countries. It will show what social entrepreneurs do and how their actions affect us. It will look at their role in history and the changing socio-political context that has allowed them to flourish in recent decades. And it will describe the personal qualities that allow individuals to become effective change agents, while outlining some of the challenges societies face in fostering this kind of leadership. Because social entrepreneurs around the world are engaging similar problems – for example, improving the interactions between people and the environment, helping children to develop the skills of empathetic ethics, creating opportunities for excluded minorities and people with disabilities, helping to make democratic processes more effective – it is possible today to find cross-cultural patterns in the strategic insights that make them effective. “Education,” wrote Vaclav Havel, “is the ability to perceive the hidden connections between phenomenon.” The discussion will look at some of the hidden connections in the “citizen sector” and the field of social entrepreneurship – connections that can offer understanding about the evolution of global society as well as practical insights about how to build a better world.
Recording & Additional Notes
No recordings available.
- Co-Sponsors: Nonprofit & Public Management Center and Edward Ginsberg Center for Community Service & Learning
- Introducer: Adam Grant, Psychology