Are we still Bowling Alone?
October 26, 2015 2:27 PM
A while, I read Putnam's Bowling Alone and Fishman's The Walmart Effect and I enjoyed them. I didn't necessarily agree with everything they said, but I enjoyed them. A lot has changed since they were written. I'd like some recommendations of more recent books that are along the same lines as those -- books about social change written in layman's terms that aren't overtly biased.
Putnam's Harvard colleague, Theda Skocpol, wrote a response to the Bowling Alone thesis many years ago: Unravelling from Above.
She later developed her argument more fully in a book called Diminished Democracy. She also co-edited Civic Engagement in American Democracy.
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:58 PM on October 26, 2015
She later developed her argument more fully in a book called Diminished Democracy. She also co-edited Civic Engagement in American Democracy.
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 5:58 PM on October 26, 2015
I think you'd enjoy Sherry Turkle's Alone Together, which is a very recent sociology book that considers how the growth of personal technology has affected the type of bridging/bonding social glue that Putnam examines.
posted by correcaminos at 6:08 PM on October 26, 2015
posted by correcaminos at 6:08 PM on October 26, 2015
I've been thinking about this question for a while, and haven't been able to come up with something that perfectly matches your criteria, which surprised me because I love reading stuff like this and thought I read a lot of it. These are the ones I thought of that didn't quite fit, but are still excellent:
Quiet
The Warmth of Other Suns
Thinking, Fast and Slow
American Nations
These are older (written around the same time as Bowling Alone)
Trust
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Oh, and I haven't finished it yet but I did start So You've Been Publicly Shamed which I think is written by a Mefite and seems to be very good.
posted by selfmedicating at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2015
Quiet
The Warmth of Other Suns
Thinking, Fast and Slow
American Nations
These are older (written around the same time as Bowling Alone)
Trust
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Oh, and I haven't finished it yet but I did start So You've Been Publicly Shamed which I think is written by a Mefite and seems to be very good.
posted by selfmedicating at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2015
Putnam has a new book out on inequality. Here.. I heard him talk about it, and it was terrific.
I love Kevin Phillips' American Theocracy. I learned a bunch about America from that.
posted by persona au gratin at 12:01 AM on October 27, 2015
I love Kevin Phillips' American Theocracy. I learned a bunch about America from that.
posted by persona au gratin at 12:01 AM on October 27, 2015
Thank you for the links, everyone. I'm off to update my wish list. I suppose this is more of a niche than I thought it was.
posted by MildredMakenpace at 12:56 PM on October 27, 2015
posted by MildredMakenpace at 12:56 PM on October 27, 2015
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posted by box at 4:32 PM on October 26, 2015