Advocacy groups proliferate and formerly marginalized groups enjoy new opportunities.
But worrisome trends exist. Millions of Americans are drawing back from involvements with community affairs and politics. Observers across the spectrum of opinion agree that it is vital to determine what is happening and why so that Americans can take well-informed, effective steps to revitalize our national community. The book opens with an eagle-eye look at the roots of America's special patterns of civic engagement, examining the ways social groups and government and electoral politics have influenced each other. Other chapters examine the impact of advocacy groups and socioeconomic inequalities on democratic processes and probe the influence of long-term social and cultural changes on voluntary associations and civic participation.