Robert D. Putnam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert D. Putnam
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Putnam in 2019
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| Born |
Robert David Putnam
January 9, 1941 |
| Other names | Bob Putnam |
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Notable work
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Rosemary
(m. 1963) |
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| Thesis | Politicians and Politics (1970) |
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Robert David Putnam (born January 9, 1941) is an American political scientist. He studies how governments work and how people connect in communities. He is a professor at Harvard University.
Putnam created an idea called two-level game theory. This idea suggests that international agreements work best if they also help people at home. His most famous book is Bowling Alone. In this book, he says that people in the United States have become less involved in community groups since the 1960s. This decline in social connections, which he calls social capital, has serious effects. In 2015, he wrote Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. This book looked at how opportunities are not equal for everyone in the U.S.
A 2023 documentary film called Join or Die is about community connections. It features Putnam and is based on his ideas. You can watch it on Netflix.
Contents
Life and career
Robert David Putnam was born in Rochester, New York on January 9, 1941. He grew up in Port Clinton, Ohio. As a teenager, he was part of a bowling league. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1963. He then studied at Balliol College, University of Oxford. Later, he earned his master's degree and doctorate from Yale University in 1970.
He taught at the University of Michigan before joining Harvard University in 1979. At Harvard, he has held many important roles. He was even the Dean of the Kennedy School. Currently, he is the Malkin Professor of Public Policy. In 1963, Putnam married Rosemary, who was a special education teacher. Around that time, he became Jewish, which was his wife's religion.
Making Democracy Work
Putnam's first major work on social capital was Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. This book was published in 1993. It compared different regional governments in Italy. The book argued that successful democracies depend on strong community connections. These connections are what Putnam calls social capital.
Putnam explained that northern Italy had a history of strong community groups. These included guilds, clubs, and choral societies. This led to more civic involvement and better economic success. In contrast, southern Italy had fewer such connections. This resulted in less economic and democratic success. Putnam defines social capital as "networks and norms of civic engagement." He says it helps people in a community trust each other. When people trust each other, things like trade, lending money, and democracy can grow.
Some researchers have disagreed with Putnam's idea. They argue that civic groups have sometimes been linked to anti-democratic movements.
Bowling Alone
In 1995, Putnam wrote an article called "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital." It was published in the Journal of Democracy. The article became very popular. It even led to Putnam meeting President Bill Clinton. He was also featured in People.
In 2000, he expanded the article into a book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. The book added more evidence and answered critics. Putnam showed that many traditional groups, like bowling leagues, had lost members. Yet, more people were bowling on their own. This showed a decline in group participation.
Putnam describes two types of social capital:
- Bonding capital: This connects people who are similar (e.g., same age, race, or religion).
- Bridging capital: This connects people who are different but share activities.
He believes that peaceful societies need both types. He argues that if bonding capital declines, bridging capital also suffers. This can lead to more tension between different groups.
In 2016, Putnam explained why he wrote the book. He said that America's system relies on strong social connections and trust. He worried that if these connections decline, the system might not work as well.
Some critics, like sociologist Claude Fischer, have questioned Putnam's ideas. They argue that Putnam focused too much on certain types of groups. They also say he didn't pay enough attention to new ways people connect, like online groups.
Since Bowling Alone was published, Putnam has worked to help Americans reconnect. He started the Saguaro Seminar. This group brings together experts and community leaders. They discuss ways to rebuild social capital. This work led to the book Better Together in 2003. It shares stories of successful community building.
Social capital
Putnam believes that many negative trends in society are linked. He sees social capital as a key factor. Social capital refers to the connections and trust within a community. It helps democracy thrive because people feel closer to each other. Putnam has observed that social capital has been declining since the 1960s.
He blames this decline for several problems, including:
- People feeling less happy.
- People caring less about politics.
- Less trust in local government and leaders.
- Less belief that one's actions can make a difference in politics.
- Less willingness to work on community projects.
- Less giving to charity or volunteering.
- Fewer close friends.
- Less happiness and a lower quality of life.
- More time spent watching television.
Diversity and trust within communities
Putnam has also studied how trust in communities relates to their ethnic diversity. His research in the United States found that in the short term, more diversity can mean less trust. This applies both among and within different ethnic groups. Putnam observed that people tend to "hunker down" as diversity increases. This means they avoid engaging with their local community.
He found this even when considering factors like income differences or crime rates. However, Putnam also states that "in the long run immigration and diversity are likely to have important cultural, economic, fiscal, and developmental benefits."
Putnam released his research data in 2001. He published the full paper in 2007. Some people criticized him for the delay in publishing the paper. They felt he waited until he could suggest ways to fix the negative effects of diversity. However, Putnam denied that he was against diversity. He said his research confirms the many benefits of diversity for society.
Recognition
Robert Putnam has received many honors for his work. He has been a member of important groups like the National Academy of Sciences. He was also the President of the American Political Science Association from 2001 to 2002.
In 2004, the President of Italy made him a Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity. He won the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science in 2006. This is a very important award in political science. In 2013, President Barack Obama gave him the National Humanities Medal. This award recognized his work in helping us understand community in America. He has also received honorary degrees from many universities around the world.
Works
Books
- The Beliefs of Politicians: Ideology, Conflict, and Democracy in Britain and Italy. 1973.
- The Comparative Study of Political Elites. 1976.
- (with Joel D. Aberbach and Bert A. Rockman). Bureaucrats and Politicians in Western Democracies. 1981.
- (with Nicholas Bayne). Hanging Together: Cooperation and Conflict in the Seven-Power Summits. 1984; revised 1987.
- (with Robert Leonardi and Raffaella Nanetti). Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. 1993.
- Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. 2000.
- (ed.) Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society Oxford University Press, 2002.
- (with Lewis M. Feldstein). Better Together: Restoring the American Community. 2003.
- Staying Together: The G8 Summit Confronts the 21st Century. 2005.
Chapters and articles
- "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games". International Organization, 1988.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Putnam para niños
- Elite theory
- DDB Needham Life Style Surveys
- Putnam family
