Political Disengagement In Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone

Bowling alone by Robert Putnam is primarily summarized as our disengagement from the involvement in our communities. Putnam describes to the reader a decline in the civic engagement initially through our politics, particularly in the decline in “turnout [of] national elections over the last three decades,” “attendance [of] a public meeting on town or school affairs,” and “attending a political rally or speech, serving on a committee of some local organization, and working for a political party.” (Putnam) He then explains the political disengagement as a possibility of from a distrust in government from various political tragedies and scandals, be believes the explanation is limited when viewing it when “we examine trends in civic engagement …show more content…
The tragic day in history, Putnam and Sanders stated in Still Bowling Alone, seemed to have “ strengthened the civic conscience of young people in the United States.” (Putnam/Sanders) Putnam and Sanders found that Americans born in the 80’s, who were at their most impressionable age when 9/11 occurred and the results of it, are more actively engaged in politics and their communities than the generations prior had been. College freshmen who reported engaging in a political discussion was shown at an all-time high of 36 percent, voting rates rose three times as fast, and America saw substantial youth involvement in politics. While Putnam and Sanders state that it appears the direct impact was short-lived from the 9/11 attacks, the impact it has on future generations could provide a great rise in civic engagement. However, it appears that the primary increase in civic engagement comes from the white, upper/middle-class and not others such as the white working or lower-class backgrounds. The author’s state that if the division of these groups goes unaddressed, they with continually separate and create two completely different worlds. The state that America must find ways to expand the post-9/11 resurgence of civic and social engagement beyond the ranks of affluent young white people if it wants to avoid becoming two separate societies/nations. Although obviously the idea of perfect civic equality is impossible, America could potentially become a “caste society replete with the tightly limited social mobility” (Putnam/Sanders) if change is not made. Finally, they conclude the article explaining the change in civic engagement and how adult Americans are engaging differently through