The civic imagination : making a difference in American political life / Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Elizabeth A. Bennett, Alissa Cordner, Peter Taylor Klein, and Stephanie Savell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Baiocchi, Gianpaolo, 1971- author.

Bennett, Elizabeth A., author.

Cordner, Alissa, author.

Klein, Peter Taylor, author.

Savell, Stephanie, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civics.

Political participation--United States.

Political participation.

United States.

Political culture--United States.

Political culture.

Social change--United States.

Social change.

Physical Description:

x, 174 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boulder, CO : Paradigm Publishers, [2014]

Summary:

The Civic Imagination provides a rich empirical description of civic life and a broader discussion of the future of democracy in contemporary America. Five researchers observed and participated in, over the course of a year, seven civic organizations in a mid-sized US city. They draw on this ethnographic evidence to map the "civic imaginations" that motivate citizenship engagement in America today. This ethnographic book unpacks how contemporary Americans think about and act toward positive social and political change. The authors' findings challenge contemporary assertions of American apathy: contrary to popular opinion, Americans care deeply about improving their democracy. Book jacket.

Contents:

American civic and political life

Joining groups and following activists

"I am not political" : making sense of skeptical engagement

The civic imagination

Participation 2.0 : the politics of civic innovation

Inequality : a difficult conversation

Making a difference in American political life

Methodological appendix A: How many scholars does it take to answer a question?

Methodological appendix B: Life of "project" by Tatiana Andia.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781612053042

1612053041

161205305X

9781612053059

OCLC:

816032221