Bowling+Alone

Putnam, R.D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster: New York, NY. ISBN: 0-7432-0304-3

Why is social capital important?

In the United States the ability and willingness to give one's time and or energies for the betterment of the whole community (social capital) is arguably what has made this country able to achieve the greatness it has.

Generalized reciprocity is valuable - it allows us to let down our guard and trust that others will return the favor. **General reciprocity** is more efficient - if we don't have to balance every exchange (barter) but use credit (trust) - we can get more done.

Measurements: "Philanthropy - our readiness to help others - is by some interpretations a central measure of social capital" (Putnam).
 * Connected individuals are more likely to give their time and money to others than those individual who are isolated.


 * Government:**
 * Social capital is necessary to achieve "buy-in" with regards to government processes. Meaning: If I am happy with my life, I am more willing to support the government. In order for the model to work, we must achieve a "vested interest" in the minds of every member of the community.
 * Vested community members are more likely to engage in dialog with elected officials.
 * Vested community members are more likely to volunteer for causes that hold meaning to them.

Colleges and universities present an opportunity for increasing social capital, which can result in more civically minded community members. With an increasing trend by schools to move towards helping students understand the mutual benefit of being involved in one's community, more students are enriching their classroom experience by engaging in their neighborhoods, which then: As staff and faculty do a better job of educating students of this symbiotic relationship, students can begin to see how an increase in social capital can support their learning and make them more competitive and marketable individuals after graduation.
 * Educational:**
 * Increases student learning and outcomes achievement,
 * Encourages students to interact with one another and their neighbors,
 * Encourages students to take increasingly effective leadership roles, and
 * Fosters parental input and presence on campus, which benefits schools and sends signals to students that education is important and of value.

At smaller institutions, fewer numbers of students in the classrooms give a greater opportunity for building deep meaningful relationships through more intimate time with faculty and staff. This can result in greater education about the benefits of building social capital. Conversely, larger schools tend to have more options for students to get involved. Therecan be a greater number of student organizations and greater variety of involvement opportunities, which can result in a greater chance for students to find something of interest and therefore more likely to increase their social capital.

Another opportunity for increasing social capital is through residence halls and college offices dedicated to providing service and volunteer opportunities for students. As students get involved with such programs on campus, they meet other students and build relationships which can enrich their college experience, strengthen their development, and potentially increase the likelihood that they will continue such relationships with their community after graduation.

College presents a prime opportunity for students to learn that success is not measured in dollars but rather in the service we give to something greater, larger, and more important than the individual.

Shifting the focus from teaching individualized leadership styles to servant-leadership models can be embraced both in higher education and K-12 through implementation of core educational classes dedicated to teaching the benefits of civic engagement. For example, just as math and science courses are required for graduation, "Civic Engagement 101: An Introduction to Civic Involvement" could be a core class with additional electives, volunteer services opportunities, and other service projects or leadership development programs offered for credit. Institutions that embrace offering such credit based opportunities could demonstrate their commitment to increasing students' knowledge of civic engagement and emphsize the importance of creating such opportunities as:
 * community service
 * letter-writing to elected officials
 * visits to town hall


 * Industrial:**
 * Strong ties within business organizations can lead to reductions in anxiety and uncertainty
 * Lower levels of uncertainty can result in higher levels of employee engagement and greater levels of productivity
 * Industry can serve as a breeding ground for recruitment in social capital building activities outside of the workplace
 * Corporate sponsored volunteer activities, community building activities, sports teams (bowling league with cool shirts!)
 * Business/industry is a place where people from varied backgrounds meet regularly
 * Building social capital is essential for individuals in terms of networking for business and employment
 * "Social connectedness in the workplace might be described as a glass half-empty, not merely as a glass half-full. Most studies of personal networks find that co-workers account for less than 10 percent of our friends" (Putnam).
 * "Shorter job tenure, more part-time and temporary jobs, and even independent consultancy -- inhibit workplace based social ties" - we connect through other means (Facebook, LinkedIn).
 * Being connected with businesses and organizations within one's community can expand the network of resources available to him/her.
 * Recognizing the strengths various businesses and organizations have, can be advantageous to the community as a whole.

As we begin looking at ways to promote social capital in businesses in Bowling Alone, Ohio, here are a few ideas just to get the creative juices flowing:
 * 1) We need to promote volunteerism within businesses. How?
 * 2) We need to encourage more teamwork within the work area. We might even push for a change in management philosophies to encourage less-autocratic organizational charts and a flattening of the companies. (I don’t know if we can argue this logically, however, because Bowling Alone had more social capital during a time when the workplace was much more top-down. I only argue this from the premise that the more responsibility that we give to our employees, the more we will build up their leadership abilities. It should then follow that they will be more engaged in the workplace with a side advantage that they will take these skills out into the community.)
 * 3) We should encourage more diversity on the workplace.
 * 4) We could push for a reconfiguring of worksite designs to encourage interaction and teamwork.
 * 5) We could encourage businesses to encourage more social gatherings and interactions among the workers. This might include:
 * 6) Company sports teams
 * 7) Hobbyists such as photographers or scrapbookers
 * 8) Fitness/wellness groups such as walkers, cross country skiers
 * 9) Book clubs or movie clubs
 * 10) Encouraging volunteerism as a factor for companies to make a hiring decision. As well, they should make it part of evaluation process.
 * 11) Recruit local business leaders and small business owners to lead and oversee this effort.
 * 12) Work with local media to get stories about what local businesses are doing.

Social capital in the community plays a significant role in every aspect of our personal and community life. The basic idea of social capital is that our family, friends, and acquaintances are important assets in our lives. Whether it’s surviving a crisis, getting a job, or just enjoying the simple pleasantries of life; one can benefit from the people they are most associated. Communities that have an invested interest in social capital are capable of handling various dilemmas and are less vulnerable to life crisis. When social capital is at its peak people spend more time socializing with family, friends, and neighbors. Here are some suggestions to cultivate social capital in your community: 1. Turn off the television and call an old friend 2. Host a movie night and invite neighbors and friends 3. Participate in a local blood drive by donating blood 4. Forum a local outdoor activity group 5. Start a community garden 6. Take walks with your family, friends or dog 7. Attend a local school play 8. Help fix someone’s flat tire 9. Welcome a new neighbor to town 10. Reach out to a lonely resident or senior citizen
 * Social:**
 * "In short, as the twenty-first century opens, Americans are going to church less often than we did three or four decades ago, and the churches we go to are less engaged" (Putnam). We need to find ways to increase engagement involvement.
 * Strong community ties and personal relationships build connections throughout the fabric of the community
 * Schools benefit from parental input and presence on campus. It sends signals to students that school is important and of value.
 * Community concerns are more easily addressed when communication channels are open and accessible.
 * Neighborhood watch groups encourage neighbors to get to know one another and create a more caring environment within the community.
 * Social capital improves the quality of life issues that may determine not only if a new business concern comes to town, but what type of businesses choose to locate within the community.
 * Live theater, the symphony, improv theaters
 * Churches
 * Civic auditoriums for conventions, trade shows, entertainment, and sports events

http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i25/25a01201.htm (Chronicle Article on how diverse Civil War units had lower cohesion). If you are unable to access, create a free Chronicle of Higher Ed account to access. Citation= http://chronicle.com Section: The Faculty Volume 55, Issue 25, Page A12

The image below is linked to a good source of information regarding different theories, research, and aspects of Social Capital:



Hello everyone. I found an interesting article --take a look-- []