Civic Participation in America

Civic Participation in America frames our understanding of civic and political participation the way the nation's founders did: as a human behavior powerfully influenced by institutions within society. The book examines the influence of the important macro-institutions of citizenship, political economy, and the public sphere and size of government, as well as key institutions of civic socialization such as the family, media, and education, on the motivation to participate. It argues that over time these institutions have encouraged more self-interested participation over civic duty-oriented participation.

Quentin Kidd is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University, USA. He is co-author of The Rational Southerner, among other titles.

Introduction: The Calculus for Civic Participation
1. Citizenship and Civic Participation
2. The Political Economy of Civic Participation
3. Active Government and Civic Participation
4. Civic Socialization and Civic Participation
5. Institutional Evolution, Civic Socialization, and Twenty-First-Century Civic Participation