Based on papers given at a conference at King's College,London, in 1998, Foundations of Charity brings together established scholarsin the fields of charity law, public law, and trusts law, and internationally recognized writers on social policy and legal philosophy, from England and Wales, Scotland, Australia, Canada and the United States. The contributors take an iconoclastic approach to the legal definition of charitable status, and provide an in-depth analysis of key concepts in charity law and administration, such as 'public benefit'and 'political activity'. The combination of their different perspectives on 'charity' produces a varied, stimulating, and challenging collection. It will be essential reading for academics, practising lawyers and voluntary sector managers who are looking for a sustained critique of 'charity'.