This article is intended as the leading article in a special issue devoted to the achievements, limitations, opportunities and risks entailed in the research and practice of contemporary philanthropy. The article first characterizes philanthropy as a highly diverse and dynamic set of social practices that has only recently been subject to the systematic scrutiny of an emerging field of research, parallel to its rapid transformation and increased societal visibility. The main debates that emerged during the last two decades while researching the complexities of contemporary philanthropy are contextualized from the perspective of multiple disciplines; and the main foci for contentious conceptualizations and societal expectations explored. In this context, contributions of the special issues are summarized. Further avenues for pushing the boundaries of philanthropy research in ways inclusive of the dynamism, diversity, multi-disciplinarity and controversy that characterize the field, while at the same time providing meaningful answers to societal concerns about the potential and shortcomings of new philanthropic practices, are drawn.

本文旨在作为一期特刊的主要文章，专门讨论当代慈善研究和实践中的成就、局限性、机遇和风险。这篇文章首先将慈善事业描述为一组高度多样化和动态的社会实践，直到最近才受到新兴研究领域的系统审查，同时伴随着它的快速转型和社会知名度的提高。过去二十年来在研究当代慈善事业的复杂性时出现的主要争论是从多学科的角度进行的；并探讨了有争议的概念化和社会期望的主要焦点。在此背景下，总结了特刊的贡献。