Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society

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Robert D. Putnam
Oxford University Press, USA, 15.08.2002 - 516 Seiten
In his national bestseller Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam illuminated the decline of social capital in the US. Now, in Democracies in Flux, Putnam brings together a group of leading scholars who broaden his findings as they examine the state of social capital in eight advanced democracies around the world.The book is packed with many intriguing revelations. The contributors note, for instance, that waning participation in unions, churches, and political parties seems to be virtually universal, a troubling discovery as these forms of social capital are especially important for empowering less educated, less affluent portions of the population. Indeed, in general, the researchers found more social grouping among the affluent than among the working classes and they find evidence of a younger generation that is singularly uninterested in politics, distrustful both of politicians and of others, cynical about public affairs, and less inclined to participate in enduring social organizations. On the bright side, social capital appears as strong as ever in Sweden, where 40% of the adult population participate in "study circles"--small groups who meet weekly for educational discussions.Offering a panoramic look at social capital around the world, this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of these phenomena.

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Inhalt

INTRODUCTION
3
1 GREAT BRITAIN
21
2 UNITED STATES
59
3 UNITED STATES
103
4 FRANCE
137
5 A DECLINE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL?
189
6 FROM CIVIL WAR TO CIVIL SOCIETY
245
7 SWEDEN
289
8 AUSTRALIA
333
9 BROADENING THE BASIS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN JAPAN
359
CONCLUSION
393
NOTES
417
CONTRIBUTORS
493
INDEX
497
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Autoren-Profil (2002)

Robert D. Putnam is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. A leading humanist and a renowned scientist, he has consulted for the last four U.S. Presidents. He has written fourteen books including Better Together: Restoring the American Community, Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society, and Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.

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