Global Perspectives on Volunteerism: Analysing the role of the State, Society and Social Capital

The article aims to examine the concept of volunteerism in three different case countries namely that of USA, UK and China while highlighting the role of the state, society and social capital. It reviews the extant literature on the volunteering traditions in the chosen case study countries highlighting the idiosyncrasies while analysing implications for future research. It highlights the role of the state, society and social capital in the chosen countries, each deriving its origins from the specific traditions in those countries. The article makes an original contribution by comparing and contrasting three important countries with different histories and traditions of volunteerism highlighting diversity of type and application.