Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community

published	June 1st 2000 by Simon & Schuster
binding	Hardcover
isbn	0684832836 (isbn13: 9780684832838)
ebook
pages	544
description	Few people outside certain scholarly circles had heard the name Robert D. Putnam before 1995. But then this self-described "obscure academic"...more [close] Few people outside certain scholarly circles had heard the name Robert D. Putnam before 1995. But then this self-described "obscure academic" hit a nerve with a journal article called "Bowling Alone." Suddenly he found himself invited to Camp David, his picture in People magazine, and his thesis at the center of a raging debate. In a nutshell, he argued that civil society was breaking down as Americans became more disconnected from their families, neighbors, communities, and the republic itself. The organizations that gave life to democracy were fraying. Bowling became his driving metaphor. Years ago, he wrote, thousands of people belonged to bowling leagues. Today, however, they're more likely to bowl alone: <blockquote>Television, two-career families, suburban sprawl, generational changes in values--these and other changes in American society have meant that fewer and fewer of us find that the League of Women Voters, or the United Way, or the Shriners, or the monthly bridge club, or even a Sunday picnic with friends fits the way we have come to live. Our growing social-capital deficit threatens educational performance, safe neighborhoods, equitable tax collection, democratic responsiveness, everyday honesty, and even our health and happiness.</blockquote> The conclusions reached in the book Bowling Alone rest on a mountain of data gathered by Putnam and a team of researchers since his original essay appeared. Its breadth of information is astounding--yes, he really has statistics showing people are less likely to take Sunday picnics nowadays. Dozens of charts and graphs track everything from trends in PTA participation to the number of times Americans say they give "the finger" to other drivers each year. If nothing else, Bowling Alone is a fascinating collection of factoids. Yet it does seem to provide an explanation for why "we tell pollsters that we wish we lived in a more civil, more trustworthy, more collectively caring community." What's more, writes Putnam, "Americans are right that the bonds of our communities have withered, and we are right to fear that this transformation has very real costs." Putnam takes a stab at suggesting how things might change, but the book's real strength is in its diagnosis rather than its proposed solutions. Bowling Alone won't make Putnam any less controversial, but it may come to be known as a path-breaking work of scholarship, one whose influence has a long reach into the 21st century. --John J. Miller [close]
date added	07-16-07 edit book

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Timothy rated it:

(review of isbn 0743203046)

07/07/08

Read in July, 2008

There are a handful of social science books that cogently present and defend “big ideas”, while remaining readable and assessable. Bowling Alone is one of these books. Harvard Professor Robert Putnam relies on a variety of longitudinal data sources to convince readers of a strong societal trend: widespread declines in American civic engagement since the 1960’s. Important forms of social capital-inducing political, religious, and civic participation have decreased. People are less trusting ...more There are a handful of social science books that cogently present and defend “big ideas”, while remaining readable and assessable. Bowling Alone is one of these books. Harvard Professor Robert Putnam relies on a variety of longitudinal data sources to convince readers of a strong societal trend: widespread declines in American civic engagement since the 1960’s. Important forms of social capital-inducing political, religious, and civic participation have decreased. People are less trusting of their fellow citizens. Even friendly, informal contacts among neighbors and friends (including participation in bowling leagues, hence Putnam’s title) have decreased.

Putnam contends that the American tendency to “bowl alone” has important social consequences. Deficits in social capital, or tangible benefits resulting from social contact, has wide-ranging negative effects on education and children’s welfare, public safety, economic prosperity, personal happiness, and even physical health.

What caused the declines in civic engagement? Putnam attributes the declines to suburban sprawl and the proliferation of television. He contends that increased work hours, financial stress, and movement of women into the work force have also contributed to the decline, albeit to a lesser degree. Putnam notes clear generational differences in civic engagement: much of the decline can be attributed to the Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers.

What can be done to reverse the trend? Putnam is clear that he does not intend his book to invoke reactionary nostalgia for the “better times” of the 1950’s. He notes similarities between contemporary social changes and those stemming from early 20th century urbanization and industrialization. Putnam commends Progressive Era reformers for adapting reform to rapidly changing 20th Century society, and suggests that similar innovation is necessary today. He concludes with a series of challenges for leaders in various domains to engage in social capital-enhancing practices, and provides numerous policy suggestions.

Putnam’s contention that civic engagement has declined should resonate with readers: it is no mystery that there is an impersonal character to contemporary American society. Nonetheless, one strength of Bowling Alone is Putnam’s ability to articulate “what we know” in clear defensible terms. Bowling Alone is social science: it is data-driven and, while Putnam’s normative position is clear, he never forces it down the reader’s throat. Putnam presents not as an ideologue, but as a scholar prepared to, through hundreds of references (the scope of Putnam’s references is staggering!) and extensive analysis, present an argument. Ultimately, whether readers accept the argument depends on the importance they place in social capital.

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Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community

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