Robert Putnam
political scientist · 1 mention across 1 reading
In this course
Putnam's work on social capital and civic engagement provides crucial vocabulary for diagnosing the fragmentation of shared institutions that digital platforms have accelerated—the course readings invoke him to explain how networked life has eroded the "bonding" mechanisms he identified in communities. His framework helps distinguish between the forms of connection promised by social media (likes, followers, streaming audiences) and the deeper reciprocal trust that characterizes functional civic life, making him essential to debates about whether digital platforms rebuild or further dissolve public trust.
Background
Robert David Putnam is an American political scientist specializing in comparative politics. He is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Wikipedia →Mentioned in 1 reading