I.  Introduction

CHAPTER 1:  Thinking about Social Change in America

A.     Club Membership Diminishing

-      NAACP membership declined from 2,500 to a few hundred in the 1990s

-      From 1970s to present, community groups began to fade

-      Community organizations no longer continuously revitalized

-      An increase of leisure time, 1960s to present

-      Voter turnout predicted to be nearly 70% and rising by 1976

-      1964:  77% felt increased confidence in their neighbors

-      America in Life:  “white, straight, Christian, comfortable, and…male.”

-      Education—the best predictor of engagement in civic life

-      1970s—a “bright future” is predicted

B.     Changes

Social Capital Theory

-      Physical capital—physical objects (a screwdriver)

-      Human capital—properties of individuals (a college education)

-      Social capital—connections among individuals (social networks)

-      Individual aspect—a private face

-      Collective aspect—a public face

-      Term “Social Capital” independently invented at least six times

-      Form connections that benefit our own interests

-      Spillover effect (e.g. A poorly connected individual may derive some benefits from living in a well-connected community)

-      Social capital can be both a “private good” and a “public good”

-      Reciprocity:  “If you don’t go to somebody’s funeral, they won’t come to yours.”  --Yogi Berra

-      Reciprocity—specific, “I’ll do this for you if you do that for me.”

-      Generalized—“I’ll do this for you without expecting anything specific back from you…”
Society based on generalized reciprocity is best

-      Social capital has many different shapes and sizes with many different uses

-      Social capital may be directed toward malevolent, antisocial purposes (e.g. Timothy McVeigh)

-      Bridging—inclusive “better for linkage to external assets and for information diffusion” (sociological WD-40)

-      Bonding—exclusive, “good for undergirding specific reciprocity and mobilizing solidarity” (sociological superglue)

C.    Social Capital (cont’d)

-      Community vs. individualism

-      National myths often “exaggerate the role of individual heroes and understate the importance of collective effort”  (e.g. Paul Revere)

-      Poll 1987:  53% thought parents’ generation better in terms of “being a concerned citizen, involved with helping others in the community”

-      21% thought their own generation was better

-      77% thought nation was worse off because of “less involvement in community activities”

-      Ups and downs in civic engagement (not just downs)

D.    The Evolving Social Climate

-      Follow the “two source” rule (in this text)

-      Civic engagement comes in many sizes and shapes

-      Dominant theme:  first 2/3 of twentieth century, deep engagement in life of their communities…last 1/3, tide has reversed