As America turns the page on a grim year of pandemic and polarization, our nation’s challenges demand a renewed focus on what it is that holds our cities, towns, and neighborhoods together. That means helping to create places with a high degree of connectedness among citizens, where people are more likely to join associations, engage in civic life, and trust their neighbors.
Being part of a strong community is of course an important element in leading a good life. Less often discussed is that places with high “social capital” also tend to promote economic opportunity and mobility. Unfortunately, social capital has been declining in U.S. communities since the 1960s, as social scientist Robert Putnam famously documented in his book “Bowling Alone.” This has worrisome economic implications, especially for those regions of the country with low levels of social capital.
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