Civic Life in the Information Age

Defying the general belief that American citizenship is in decline, Sanford claims that Generation X is actually taking positions of civic leadership and authority as Baby Boomers retire. By exploring traditional instruments of social capital, civic culture and political science, she attempts to make us understand this maligned generation better.

"Numerous commentators have written about civic disengagement among the nation's youth but none more discerningly than Stefanie Sanford. Civic Life in the Information Age is enormously fresh, in part because of its author's intelligence and in part because of the depth of her interviews with young adults. Sanford has uncovered the voice of American youth in all of its nuance and complexity. We must listen to that voice. The nation's future depends on our doing so." - Roderick P. Hart, Director, Annette Strauss Institute, University of Texas at Austin"Stefanie Sanford's Civic Life in the Information Age tackles what is perhaps the most pressing issue of our time: Do changing definitions of what it means to be civic result in a decline of civic life? Her research shows that civic life is alive and well, in new and ever more vibrant forms today. She shows us how young people across America are connecting to one another, becoming passionately engaged in civic life and redefining community in new and better ways." - Richard Florida, Hirst Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University"Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what the ongoing generational change means for our civic life and politics. Sanford's work makes sense of the competing generational norms that definemuch of our public dialogue today."

• Andrew J. Rotherham, Co-Director Education Sector and former White Houseeducation advisorto President Bill Clinton

  Autorentext
  STEFANIE SANFORD works at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA.

  Inhalt
  Contents: The Problems of Citizenship in the Early 21st Century History's Standard of Good Citizenship Assessing Contemporary Citizenship: The Case for Qualitative Methods Cyber-Democrats and Just-in-Time Social Capital Wireheads as New Minimalists Tech Elites: Bridging Old and New Social Capital Trailing Xers, Rising Millenials and Two Cliches Embracing Flux: Generation X and the New Norms of Social Capital