See: List of Books by Robert Putnam and Robert Putnam Research
Notes about the Upswing by Robert Putnam (via Google Bard):
Sure, here is a summary of The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again by Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett:
The Upswing is a book about the history of American society and the challenges it faces today. Putnam and Garrett argue that American society has gone through a cycle of “upswings” and “downswings” over the past century, with the current era being a downswing. They identify three key factors that contribute to upswings: economic equality, social trust, and civic engagement.
The book begins by examining the Gilded Age, which was a period of extreme economic inequality and social division. Putnam and Garrett argue that this period was a downswing for American society. They then look at the Progressive Era, which was a period of reform and social change. They argue that this period was an upswing for American society, as it saw a decline in economic inequality, an increase in social trust, and a rise in civic engagement.
The book then examines the current era, which Putnam and Garrett argue is a downswing. They point to the rise of economic inequality, the decline of social trust, and the decline of civic engagement as evidence of this. They argue that these trends are leading to a number of problems, including political polarization, social unrest, and economic stagnation.
The book concludes by offering a number of proposals for how to reverse the current downswing and create a new upswing. These proposals include policies to reduce economic inequality, programs to rebuild social trust, and initiatives to promote civic engagement.
The Upswing is a timely and important book that offers a fresh perspective on the challenges facing American society. It is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of the United States.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the book:
- American society has gone through a cycle of “upswings” and “downswings” over the past century.
- The three key factors that contribute to upswings are economic equality, social trust, and civic engagement.
- The current era is a downswing, due to the rise of economic inequality, the decline of social trust, and the decline of civic engagement.
- These trends are leading to a number of problems, including political polarization, social unrest, and economic stagnation.
- There are a number of things that can be done to reverse the current downswing and create a new upswing.
I hope this summary is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
[Author’s Note: The above text was AI-generated and may not be accurate. The overarching intent behind this blog post is to provide a starting point for discussions among aspiring community builders. Just as startup founders can benefit from startup oriented content (such as those provided by accelerators and incubators), community builders can benefit from community building oriented content. If you are an aspiring community builder, please contribute to the discussion by commenting on this post]