America has long been known as an unusually civically engaged democracy, not only the world's first mass electoral democracy but also a country whose citizens form and participate in all kinds of voluntary associations.  Today, many observers feel that American civic engagement is in decline.

What is happening and why?

The best way to answer these questions is to look back in history.  By understanding how America became a highly civically engaged democracy in the first place, we can cast new light on changes since the 1970s.  Theda Skocpol uses history to comment on the present, drawing on a major new research project tracing the emergence and development of voluntary membership associations from 1790 to the present.

Hosted by Department of Political Science

In conjunction with: Department of Anthropology, Department of History, Department of Sociology, Institute of Communications Research, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Women's Studies Program