World We Want

In The World We Want, Peter Karoff presents a collective vision of an ideal world. By sharing his experiences and through conversations with more than forty social entrepreneurs, activists, nonprofit leaders, and philanthropists who are changing notions of 'the human condition' in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and North America, he describes how new partnerships and approaches are reducing suffering and gaining greater equity for people everywhere. These visionaries are engaged in a struggle of sorts, and that conscious engagement—'the shoulder to the wheel'—is a fundamental part of the world they want.

The book weaves together multi-sector, multidiscipline strategies, but—in large part—it is about the power of human connection, reinforced by personal stories of motivation and the human capacity for caring. Without ignoring the institutional and cultural obstacles, and the courage needed to face down the dark side of human behavior, Karoff shows how citizen engagement and open source solutions could tip the scale toward a better world.

Peter Karoff founded the Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) to help donors increase the impact of their philanthropy and at the same time make "giving" more meaningful in their own lives. President of TPI from 1989 to 2002, he is a senior fellow at the College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University.

Jane Maddox is an editor and writer at TPI who has worked with public agencies, companies, and nonprofits in communicating their missions, programs, and ideas.