The notion of social capital - those features of social organization that facilitate working and cooperating together for mutual benefit - has gained considerable prominence since the publication of Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. While attention has been given to social capital, little has been given to religion's role in generating social capital. This is all the more ironic, given that religion constitutes the most common form of voluntary association in America today. Featuring essays by prominent social scientists, this is the first book-length systematic examination of the relationship between religion and social capital formation and what effects religious social capital has on democratic life in the United States today. This volume first casts the analysis of religious social capital within the larger discussion of social capital. It then assesses the nature of religious social capital, the extent to which it is distinct from or mirrors other forms of social capital, and the consequences that flow from its presence. It examines religion's role in fostering charitable contributions, volunteer activities, civic engagement, and political participation. In addition, it analyzes the ways in which particular contexts help to shape and modify such relationships. Finally, the volume addresses both the limits of religious social capital as well as its potential in fostering a more democratic society.
Corwin E. Smidt is professor of political science and director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the co-author and editor of numerous books including The Bully Pulpit: The Politics of Protestant Clergy, Religion and the Culture Wars: Dispatches from the Field, and the forthcoming The New Religious Order in American Politics.
Preface and Acknowledgements 1. Introduction Corwin Smidt 2. Bowling Alone But Serving Together: The Congregational Norm of Community Involvement Ram A. Cnaan, Stephanie C. Boddie, and Gaynor I. Yancey 3. Religious Social Capital: Its Nature, Social Location, and Limits John A. Coleman, S. J. 4. Faith and Leadership in the Inner City: How Social Capital Contributes to Democratic Renewal Mark A. Warren 5. Does Religion Matter?: Projecting Democratic Power into the Public Arena Richard L. Wood 6. Religion and Volunteering in America David E. Campbell and Steven J. Yonish 7. The Religious Basis of Charitable Giving in America: A Social Capital Perspective Roger J. Nemeth and Donald A. Luidens 8. Ties That Bind and Flourish: Religion and Social Capital in African-American Politics and Society Frederick Harris 9. Social Capital and Societal Vision: A Study of Six Farm Communities in Iowa Janel Curry 10. Religious Involvement, Social Capital, and Political Engagement: A Comparison of the United States and Canada Corwin Smidt, John Green, James Guth, and Lyman Kellstedt 11. The Language of God in the City of Man: Religious Discourse and Public Politics in America Rhys H. Williams 12. Can Religion Revitalize Civil Society? An Institutional Perspective Robert Wuthnow 13. Religion, Social Capital, and Democratic Life: Concluding Thoughts Corwin Smidt Notes References About the Contributors Index
Corwin E. Smidt is also the co-author and editor of numerous books, including "The Bully Pulpit: The Politics of Protestant Clergy", "Religion and the Culture Wars: Dispatches from the Field" and "The New Religious Order in American Politics".
"Highly original... a welcome contribution... offers a broad sweep of some of the key issues in the relationship of religion and civil society." - David Sikkink, University of Notre Dame; "Bowling Alone But Serving Together: The Congregational Norm of Community Involvement," by Ram Canaan, Stephanie Broddie, and Gaynor Yancey; "The Religious Basis of Volunteerism in America," by Steve Yonish and David Campbell; "Religious Involvement, Social Capital, and Political Engagement: A Comparison of the United States and Canada," by Corwin Smidt, John Green, James Guth, and Lyman Kellstedt; "Does Religion Matter? Projecting Democratic Power into the Public Arena," by Richard Wood; "Can Religion Revitalize Civil Society? An Institutional Perspective," by Robert Wuthnow
