Published In
Nonprofit Policy Forum
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-24-2025
Subjects
Philanthropy -- Psychological aspects
Abstract
Social identity theory predicts that individuals prefer to give to people with the same identity as themselves. However, individuals have multiple identities that interact simultaneously. For instance, religion is an essential identity for many individuals, particularly those from racialized minority groups, such as Muslims and Jews, who are often discriminated against due to these identities. Moreover, individuals like to support faith-based causes. However, they may also feel that they have a linked fate identity, where they perceive a commonality with other persecuted minorities due to similar experiences of discrimination. Moreover, political ideology is another vital identity marker for many individuals. How do these identities interact in giving to faith-based and non-faith-based causes? This article addresses the question by exploring support for civil rights organizations among the general population and two racialized, faith-based minorities – Muslim Americans and Jewish Americans. The findings show that these racialized minorities are more likely than other groups to fund civil rights organizations that work both within and outside their faith-based communities, suggesting that the concept of linked fate may operate in the domain of philanthropy, where minorities are helping themselves and other communities suffering discrimination. The findings also indicate that political ideology affects giving, as liberals are more likely to donate to civil rights causes both within and outside their faith tradition. Overall, this article expands the existing literature on philanthropy by looking at how the effects of political ideology and the notion of linked fate among minority groups may influence giving in times of crisis.
Rights
Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1515/npf-2023-0101
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43944
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Citation Details
Wasif, R., Paarlberg, A., Siddiqui, S., & King, D. (2025). Religious Identity, Linked Fate, and Political Ideology: Explaining Civil Rights Philanthropy among Muslim and Jewish Americans. Nonprofit Policy Forum.
