ARNOVAs 48th Annual Conference

We live in an increasingly polarized world—full of dichotomies and dualisms: Us versus them, the haves and the have nots, “light” versus “dark,” good versus evil. We see this in diverse settings around the globe: contested transitions of power in South Africa, refugees fleeing violence in Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, nativist reactions to immigrant “others” in Germany, and Turkey (along with other countries) absorbing refugees. In the U.S. the intensity of us vs. them results in loss of civil discourse, challenges to democratic norms, and violent acts against the “other.” Intentional polarization can be a powerful tool for silencing and intimidating the voices of the marginalized and the oppressed…and, at times, magnifying the voices of those at the fringes of society. 

Nonprofits, NGOs, and voluntary associations are inextricably linked to the economic, political, and socially polarized world in which we inhabit. As scholars and practitioners, we focus on the good that our sector brings to the world through NGO relief organizations aiding the displaced, philanthropists donating to help the poor and disadvantaged, activists peacefully organizing to bring change, faith-based institutions providing sanctuary and community. But there is also a dark side: hate groups organized as nonprofits advancing xenophobic, racist and sexist agendas, dark money in politics undermining democratic processes and policies for the common good, and voluntary actions with the intention to cause harm. 

As scholars and practitioners, we call on the community to grapple with dualisms and the role of the sector to identify and ameliorate dichotomies, to champion successful bridging and bonding strategies, to courageously speak truth to power, and continue to advance missions and values for the common good. Philanthropic leaders call on our sector to be leaders, to collective use our power for truth telling. 

The 2019 ARNOVA conference will be in San Diego, CA, a city at the heart of the emerging Cali-Baja Binational Mega Region, which encompasses the California – Baja Mexico. With a combined population of more than 6.5 million, CaliBaja boasts the largest concentration of population along the U.S-Mexico border, near perfect weather, natural beauty, a world-famous zoo, and is home to more than 90 colleges and universities and over 80 research institutes. Despite these desirable characteristics, San Diego’s nonprofit and philanthropic sector finds itself at the intersection of many of the most polarizing issues facing contemporary civil society. The region is on the front lines on immigration experiencing the dualism of a binational community and borders with military protection. It is a hotbed of innovation and grapples with extremes of wealth, growing homeless population and shortage of affordable housing. It’s prized natural beauty threatened by environmental regulatory changes, population growth pressures, and climate change. In the face of these challenges, the region is leveraging its many existing resources to innovate and model sustainable solutions. Thus, San Diego provides a timely and germane setting for a meeting of nonprofit and philanthropy scholars to discuss how nonprofits speak truth to power and use their power to speak truth.