Monday, March 09, 2015

Robert Putnam Is Wrong About Social Capital

Too much social capital—not too little—is driving a wedge of income inequality between Americans.

Theme: Globalization and income inequality

Subject Article: "The terrible loneliness of growing up poor in Robert Putnam’s America."

Other Links: 1. "Chapter 1 (Thinking about Social Change in America) in Bowling Alone, The Collapse and Revival of American Community."
2. "‘Our Kids,’ by Robert D. Putnam."
3. "Rust Belt Landscapes and Memory."
4. "bowling with strangers: emerging patterns of desegregation foretell a vibrant economy."

Postscript: When a suburban brat leaves home to attend an elite university that lands her a job in a global city, she gains social skills that will make her rich. She learns how to connect with people from different corners of the planet, thus facilitating knowledge exchange with places very different from her hometown cul-de-sac. She thrives in a world low on social capital.

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