Loose Connections: Joining Together in America's Fragmented Communities Export

@book{citeulike:107163, abstract = {{It has become common to lament Americans' tendency to pursue individual interests apart from any institutional association. But to those who charge that Americans are at home watching television rather than getting involved in their communities, Robert Wuthnow answers that while certain kinds of civic engagement may be declining, innovative new forms are taking their place. People are still connected, but because of the realities of daily life, they form "loose connections." These more fluid groups are better suited to dealing with today's needs than the fraternal orders and ladies' auxiliaries of the past. Wuthnow examines the challenges that must be faced if these innovative forms of civic involvement are to flourish. "America has always been a nation of joiners. Loose Connections argues that we still have the habit, and it is a good one, of reaching out and connecting to others in order to participate in the civic life of our culture. Wuthnow is an indispensable observer of the American civic and religious scene." --Jean Bethke Elshtain, author of Democracy on Trial "This is a very important book, especially in the context of the current debate over 'social capital' in America. Wuthnow presents an optimistic picture of the state of American voluntary institutions. One might sum up his view by saying that Alexis de Tocqueville has still not been proven wrong." --Peter Berger, Boston University}}, author = {Wuthnow, Robert}, citeulike-article-id = {107163}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike09-20&path=ASIN/0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike01-21&path=ASIN/0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike06-21&path=ASIN/0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-3 = {http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674007972/citeulike00-21}, citeulike-linkout-4 = {http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike07-20&path=ASIN/0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-5 = {http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-6 = {http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0674007972}, citeulike-linkout-7 = {http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?keywords=0674007972&index=books&linkCode=qs}, citeulike-linkout-8 = {http://www.librarything.com/isbn/0674007972}, day = {01}, howpublished = {Paperback}, isbn = {0674007972}, keywords = {political\_participation, political\_psychology, political\_science, social\_capital}, month = {April}, posted-at = {2005-03-01 05:00:55}, priority = {0}, publisher = {{Harvard University Press}}, title = {Loose Connections: Joining Together in America's Fragmented Communities}, url = {http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike07-20&path=ASIN/0674007972}, year = {2002} }

TY - BOOK ID - citeulike:107163 L3 - citeulike-article-id:107163 N2 - {It has become common to lament Americans' tendency to pursue individual interests apart from any institutional association. But to those who charge that Americans are at home watching television rather than getting involved in their communities, Robert Wuthnow answers that while certain kinds of civic engagement may be declining, innovative new forms are taking their place. People are still connected, but because of the realities of daily life, they form "loose connections." These more fluid groups are better suited to dealing with today's needs than the fraternal orders and ladies' auxiliaries of the past. Wuthnow examines the challenges that must be faced if these innovative forms of civic involvement are to flourish. "America has always been a nation of joiners. Loose Connections argues that we still have the habit, and it is a good one, of reaching out and connecting to others in order to participate in the civic life of our culture. Wuthnow is an indispensable observer of the American civic and religious scene." --Jean Bethke Elshtain, author of Democracy on Trial "This is a very important book, especially in the context of the current debate over 'social capital' in America. Wuthnow presents an optimistic picture of the state of American voluntary institutions. One might sum up his view by saying that Alexis de Tocqueville has still not been proven wrong." --Peter Berger, Boston University} SN - 0674007972 TI - Loose Connections: Joining Together in America's Fragmented Communities PB - {Harvard University Press} KW - political_participation KW - political_psychology KW - political_science KW - social_capital AU - Wuthnow, Robert PY - 2002/04/01/ UR - http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=citeulike09-20&path=ASIN/0674007972 ER -