Civic Imagination: Making a Difference in American Political Life

by Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Elizabeth A. Bennett, Alissa Cordner

The Civic Imagination provides a rich empirical description of civic life and a broader discussion of the future of democracy in contemporary America. Over the course of a year, five researchers observed and participated in 7 civic organisations in a mid-sized US city. They draw on this ethnographic evidence to map the 'civic imaginations' that motivate citizenship engagement in America today. The book unpacks how contemporary Americans think about and act toward positive social and political change while the authors' findings challenge contemporary assertions of American apathy. This will be an important book for students and academics interested in political science and sociology.

184 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jared]

Loved the ideas in this, and I just wish it was longer--I wanted more ethnography in addition to the excellent analysis of ethnography.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Civic Imagination: Making a Difference in American Political Life by Gianpaolo Baiocchi is an ethnographic study of seven civic organizations in Providence, RI. For one year, five researchers from Brown University participated in each groups' meetings and events, volunteering alongside activists, and interviewing leaders about their lives and work. All of the people studied wanted to make Providence a better place to live, but their ideas about how political change is made, and the actions they took, were different. This book introduces the concept of a "civic imagination"-- a cognitive roadmap that guides civic engagement, helps to diagnose social problems, and directs actions that affect political change. Civic groups were found to be inclined primarily toward one of three approaches: (1) fighting structural sources of injustice, (2) fostering community solidarity, and (3) generating innovative solutions to social and political problems.
Although the book was recommended to the Open Books--Open Minds Committee, it does not appear to me to be one many freshmen would likely enjoy reading. I think upperclass students, particularly those studying political science or communication, are more likely to find it an engaging read.

[Mills College Library]

306.20973 B1629 2014