In recent decades historians have 'discovered' agency in a wide range of geographical and temporal contexts, amongst many different types of actor. This dissertation employs the concept of agency to dissect the dynamics of power in early nineteenth-century London charities. Concurrently, it uses charity to test the potential applications of agency as a historical concept and as a tool for historical analysis. Through case studies of five different types of charity in early nineteenth-century London, this dissertation explores the varied ways in which plebeians exercised their agency. The case studies engage with current definitions of agency 'intentional action, resistance, the defence of rights and customs, exerting control over one's own life, autonomy, strategy, choice, and voice' and test the boundaries of the concept, proposing different ways in which scholars might characterise agency. This dissertation not only examines how the poor exerted their agency, but also how philanthropists conceptualised the agency of the poor. Although agency had a different set of meanings in the early nineteenth century than it does today, Georgian commentators nevertheless discussed the same phenomena that historians today label as agency. This dissertation considers how philanthropists attempted to mould the agency of their beneficiaries and how the agency of the poor shaped charitable organisations. For all its prevalence, agency is an under-theorised and problematic concept. There is no consensus about what agency is or how to locate it. As a result, agency is a slippery concept that seems to elude meaning. Historians are often so personally invested in the project of recovering the agency of subalterns that they underestimate the structural constraints acting on agency or they project modern conceptions of agency on to the subjects of their study. This dissertation subjects agency to critical examination that is long overdue. It argues that agency, as an 'essentially contested' concept, is a powerful tool for dissecting subtle and diverse dynamics of power. This dissertation proposes and demonstrates ways in which scholars can employ the concept usefully, mitigating its problematic aspects.

Public administration emphasizes the importance of diversity (Rice, 2004), representation (Selden & Selden, 2002), ethics, and professionalism, to ensure fairness and equity for all citizens (American Society for Public Administration, 2013a; Cooper, 2012). Research has shown a link between the teaching of ethics and values in leadership courses, and the establishment of consensus for espoused social norms and standards of practice (Begley & Stefkovich, 2007). Through the discourse within classrooms, and the scholarship of public administration, we create and advance the boundaries of social consensus in areas such as diversity (Hewins-Maroney & Williams, 2007; National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, 2014a). MPA ethics courses are perfectly situated to espouse and reinforce public service diversity values and educate future public servants. This dissertation uses ethnographic content analysis (ECA) of 48 syllabi from 40 NASPAA accredited universities in the United States (U.S.) dated 2012-2014, to interpret how, or whether, Master of Public Administration (MPA) education addresses or contributes to gender inclusion. The analysis uses feminist theories to reveal if, and to what extent, gender, diversity, and social equity topics have been incorporated into master's level graduate public administration ethics courses, through an examination of ethics course syllabi. This research shows that gender is incorporated into MPA ethics syllabi directly through the gender of professors, authors of course materials, discussion topics, and gendered language. Gender is also demonstrated in the syllabi through images and sub-textual tones that express social norms for gender roles. Gender inclusion is addressed indirectly in the syllabi through course policies and pedagogical choices designed to increase opportunities for participation by students of both genders. Ethnographic content analysis across various stages of this interpretive research study led to the creation of a four-part Gender Inclusion Model. Each tier of this model is made up of inclusion markers influenced by themes in feminist pedagogical literature. The Gender Inclusion Model can be used for future research to examine whether, or how, minorities and diversity are incorporated into higher education curricula. The research compiles a list of best practices, along with a mock syllabus, guided by recommendations from feminist literature. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection