Renata Nowaczewska
Renata Nowaczewska, Assistant Professor of History and American Studies at Szczecin University, Poland. She has published articles, book chapters on philanthropy in international context, social welfare, foundations and their interactions with the government. Her award-winning book on public and private unemployment relief during the Great Depression discusses the role private foundations and community funds played in cooperation with/ opposition to H. Hoover’s and F. D. Roosevelt’s relief efforts.
Her research interests lie in the history of philanthropy, foreign aid, social history and intellectual history, exchange programs in particular and the role international actors play within broadly defined transnational relations. Her current book project explores the mechanisms of reinforcing/implementing democratic values through the exchange programs and other cultural activities during the Cold War period in select European countries. She has explored the role foundations, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in particular, played in organizing help to the refugees and escapees from the Eastern Europe.Research Grants/Rewards:
• Scholarship, Nene College, Northampton, GB, Sept.-Dec. 1992
• Research Scholarship at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universitat, Berlin, Germany, 2000
• Research Scholarship at the Roosevelt Study Center, Middelburg, Netherlands, 2001
• Ruth Lilly Archives Research Fellows Fund- Center on Philanthropy, Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis, USA, 2002
• Travel grant of the US Embassy, Warsaw, Poland to participate in the American Studies Colloquium, “The Fiction of Politics and Politics of Fiction” – Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, 2002
• Second Prize in the Competition for the Best Ph.D. dissertation in the Field of History by the National Culture Center, Poland, 2008.
• US State Department Grant to participate in a six-week program of The Studies of United States Institutes for Scholars, New York University. The theme of the program: American Civilization, July-August 2008
• Research grant at the British National Archives, Kew Gardens, London awarded by the Lanckoronsky Foundation, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences , November 2008
• US Embassy in Warsaw grant for the publication of a book, awarded in the 90th Anniversary of US-Polish Diplomatic relations.
• Szczecin University Rector’s Award of the II degree for the academic achievements, 2010.
• Research Scholarship at the Roosevelt Study Center, Middelburg, Netherlands for the project: “Enhancing friendly relations: American foreign aid and private foundations in Great Britain and the Commonwealth, 1945-1961,” 2011.
• 2012 Rockefeller Archive Center grant-in-aid, for the research project: “American Private Foundations and Reinforcement of Democracy in the Cold War Europe, 1945-1968. Rockefeller Foundation- as the case study.”
• 2013 Rockefeller Archive Center grant-in-aid for the research project: “Ford Foundation and the Reinforcement of Democracy in the Cold War Europe, 1950-1969.”
• Research Scholarship at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universitat, Berlin, Germany, 2014. Membership: A member of the Polish Association of American Studies, the Association of Polish Historians, State Department Alumni Association, European Association of American Studies, International American Studies Association.
Her research interests lie in the history of philanthropy, foreign aid, social history and intellectual history, exchange programs in particular and the role international actors play within broadly defined transnational relations. Her current book project explores the mechanisms of reinforcing/implementing democratic values through the exchange programs and other cultural activities during the Cold War period in select European countries. She has explored the role foundations, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in particular, played in organizing help to the refugees and escapees from the Eastern Europe.Research Grants/Rewards:
• Scholarship, Nene College, Northampton, GB, Sept.-Dec. 1992
• Research Scholarship at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universitat, Berlin, Germany, 2000
• Research Scholarship at the Roosevelt Study Center, Middelburg, Netherlands, 2001
• Ruth Lilly Archives Research Fellows Fund- Center on Philanthropy, Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis, USA, 2002
• Travel grant of the US Embassy, Warsaw, Poland to participate in the American Studies Colloquium, “The Fiction of Politics and Politics of Fiction” – Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, 2002
• Second Prize in the Competition for the Best Ph.D. dissertation in the Field of History by the National Culture Center, Poland, 2008.
• US State Department Grant to participate in a six-week program of The Studies of United States Institutes for Scholars, New York University. The theme of the program: American Civilization, July-August 2008
• Research grant at the British National Archives, Kew Gardens, London awarded by the Lanckoronsky Foundation, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences , November 2008
• US Embassy in Warsaw grant for the publication of a book, awarded in the 90th Anniversary of US-Polish Diplomatic relations.
• Szczecin University Rector’s Award of the II degree for the academic achievements, 2010.
• Research Scholarship at the Roosevelt Study Center, Middelburg, Netherlands for the project: “Enhancing friendly relations: American foreign aid and private foundations in Great Britain and the Commonwealth, 1945-1961,” 2011.
• 2012 Rockefeller Archive Center grant-in-aid, for the research project: “American Private Foundations and Reinforcement of Democracy in the Cold War Europe, 1945-1968. Rockefeller Foundation- as the case study.”
• 2013 Rockefeller Archive Center grant-in-aid for the research project: “Ford Foundation and the Reinforcement of Democracy in the Cold War Europe, 1950-1969.”
• Research Scholarship at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universitat, Berlin, Germany, 2014. Membership: A member of the Polish Association of American Studies, the Association of Polish Historians, State Department Alumni Association, European Association of American Studies, International American Studies Association.
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Papers by Renata Nowaczewska
foundations. It poses questions about the possible impact the exchange programs directed
to Poland in the early Cold War period had upon the opening of research opportunities to catch up with peers in the West. The article covers the time span between the first visit
of the Rockefeller Foundation representatives and the year when both temporarily withdrew or suspended their extensive programs. The method of critically analysing archival
documents of both foundations made it possible to explore the circumstances of their
engagement, candidate selection procedures, and the different approaches to achieving
set goals. It reveals that the Rockefeller Foundation focused on scientific results, leading
to the ‘cross-fertilization’ of ideas, network creation, and the opening up opportunities,
while the Ford Foundation aimed at long-term cultural diplomacy, impacting upon
groups of ‘friendly’ recipients. The article explores several case studies of Polish grantees, showing the foundations’ non-discriminatory practices based on merit and the role
these grantees might have exercised in the development of science, strengthening the
free world, and promoting international understanding.
The article attempts to discuss the most common views on the role that
American private philanthropic foundations have had in the sphere of the
US international relations. To illustrate the problem, several foundations
actively operating in the international field during the period of shaping the
position of the USA in the world were selected. The reasons for the foundations’ influence on shaping, disseminating, and implementing the main goal of American foreign policy: "making the world safer for democracy" are identified. A discussion is offered of the most important motives for their
actions, the overriding element of which was the belief that the security of
the country depended on that in the world. On the other hand, all efforts The article attempts to discuss the most common views on the role that
American private philanthropic foundations have had in the sphere of the
US international relations. To illustrate the problem, several foundations
actively operating in the international field during the period of shaping the
position of the USA in the world were selected. The reasons for the foundations’
influence on shaping, disseminating, and implementing the main
goal of American foreign policy: "making the world safer for democracy" are
identified. A discussion is offered of the most important motives for their
actions, the overriding element of which was the belief that the security of
the country depended on that in the world. On the other hand, all efforts to achieve a stable international situation had to be based on a specific value
system. The ideas of maintaining peace, democracy, and justice, as well as
ensuring a stable social situation, had to be implemented through the process
of "enlightenment", i.e., giving access to education and expanding knowledge.
The article also addresses the motivations of the philanthropists; the
reasons of their involvement in the process of building the US power; the
extent to which philanthropic foundations were supposed to participate in
the "internationalization" of the USA. Finally, it presents the reasons for
new interpretations of the foundations’ role and surveys the range of assessments
offered by researchers of the subject. Some are radically critical, focus
too much on the "Americanization" effect the foundations exert on cultures
and science in the world, and see their activities as hallmarks of cultural
imperialism, threat to democracy, and undue exercise of power. Others offer
a balanced approach and view the activity of the foundations more broadly
in the context of building global relations.
Other internal and external aspects in the operation of the American
philanthropic foundations considered in the study involve various geo-political
phenomena, professionalization of philanthropy itself, the sensitive
relationship between the private, public, and voluntary sectors, as well as
the influence of the human factor of the founders and staff upon the foundations’
programs.
foundations. It poses questions about the possible impact the exchange programs directed
to Poland in the early Cold War period had upon the opening of research opportunities to catch up with peers in the West. The article covers the time span between the first visit
of the Rockefeller Foundation representatives and the year when both temporarily withdrew or suspended their extensive programs. The method of critically analysing archival
documents of both foundations made it possible to explore the circumstances of their
engagement, candidate selection procedures, and the different approaches to achieving
set goals. It reveals that the Rockefeller Foundation focused on scientific results, leading
to the ‘cross-fertilization’ of ideas, network creation, and the opening up opportunities,
while the Ford Foundation aimed at long-term cultural diplomacy, impacting upon
groups of ‘friendly’ recipients. The article explores several case studies of Polish grantees, showing the foundations’ non-discriminatory practices based on merit and the role
these grantees might have exercised in the development of science, strengthening the
free world, and promoting international understanding.
The article attempts to discuss the most common views on the role that
American private philanthropic foundations have had in the sphere of the
US international relations. To illustrate the problem, several foundations
actively operating in the international field during the period of shaping the
position of the USA in the world were selected. The reasons for the foundations’ influence on shaping, disseminating, and implementing the main goal of American foreign policy: "making the world safer for democracy" are identified. A discussion is offered of the most important motives for their
actions, the overriding element of which was the belief that the security of
the country depended on that in the world. On the other hand, all efforts The article attempts to discuss the most common views on the role that
American private philanthropic foundations have had in the sphere of the
US international relations. To illustrate the problem, several foundations
actively operating in the international field during the period of shaping the
position of the USA in the world were selected. The reasons for the foundations’
influence on shaping, disseminating, and implementing the main
goal of American foreign policy: "making the world safer for democracy" are
identified. A discussion is offered of the most important motives for their
actions, the overriding element of which was the belief that the security of
the country depended on that in the world. On the other hand, all efforts to achieve a stable international situation had to be based on a specific value
system. The ideas of maintaining peace, democracy, and justice, as well as
ensuring a stable social situation, had to be implemented through the process
of "enlightenment", i.e., giving access to education and expanding knowledge.
The article also addresses the motivations of the philanthropists; the
reasons of their involvement in the process of building the US power; the
extent to which philanthropic foundations were supposed to participate in
the "internationalization" of the USA. Finally, it presents the reasons for
new interpretations of the foundations’ role and surveys the range of assessments
offered by researchers of the subject. Some are radically critical, focus
too much on the "Americanization" effect the foundations exert on cultures
and science in the world, and see their activities as hallmarks of cultural
imperialism, threat to democracy, and undue exercise of power. Others offer
a balanced approach and view the activity of the foundations more broadly
in the context of building global relations.
Other internal and external aspects in the operation of the American
philanthropic foundations considered in the study involve various geo-political
phenomena, professionalization of philanthropy itself, the sensitive
relationship between the private, public, and voluntary sectors, as well as
the influence of the human factor of the founders and staff upon the foundations’
programs.
Nie zajmuje się analizą przyczyn, jak również nie opisuje przebiegu kryzysu, lecz prezentuje sposoby łagodzenia dotkliwych jego skutków, kluczową rolę organizacji dobroczynnych i prywatnych fundacji filantropijnych, które przekazywały znaczące kwoty na pomoc bezpośrednią dla potrzebujących. Podejmuje się także porównania filozofii sprawowania rządów przez Herberta C. Hoovera i Franklina Delano Roosevelta, szczególnie skupiając się na ich poszukiwaniach dróg wyjścia z kryzysu, unikając przy tym stereotypowego podejścia – negatywnych ocen poczynań pierwszego i idealizowaniu roli drugiego.