Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam

Nearly 20 years after publication, Bowling Alone still stands as the seminal work of the socialization of American twentieth century society; establishing the idea of social capital and putting sociology and sociological issues
back in the realm of community planning.

Professor Putnam extensively surveyed and analyzed participation rates in clubs, organizations, leagues and volunteer activities over the twentieth century. He concluded that the tradition of civic participation and group activities was strong until mid-century; tapering to near disappearance by the current century’s turn.