Chapter 8: A Journey of Voluntarism

Despite Putnam’s (2000) claim that more and more often we are “bowling alone,” I remain unconvinced that lower membership in some civic organizations, such as bowling leagues, necessarily marks a decline in social capital (2000). In stark contrast to Putnam’s findings, the size of the charitable sector grew 39% nationally from 1992 to 1998 (Weitzman, Jalandoni, Lampkin, & Pollak, 2002). Opportunities to learn and to serve through civic engagement are growing with the sector. DeToqueville’s observation that America was a nation of joiners is perhaps too often cited. His remark, nonetheless, seems to aptly describe my view of civic engagement. Intellectually, I understand that civic engagement is more than just joining a nonprofit organization in my community.