KhizooologyBowling Alone
Community depends on opportunities to participate together.
Big Idea
Putnam examines declining participation in American civic life and the consequences of weakened social connections.
Social capital
Relationships and shared norms can make cooperation possible.
Participation
Membership and attendance reveal changes in collective life.
Bonding and bridging
Connections within a group differ from ties across social boundaries.
Institutional change
Work, mobility, media, and other conditions shape opportunities to participate.
Scope
The book's US evidence and historical periods should not be generalized to every society.
Notooo Take
Find one accessible local activity that creates repeated contact across differences.
One Thing to Keep
Community depends on opportunities to participate together.