Bibliograph

Civic hope, how ordinary Americans keep democracy alive, Rodrick P. Hart

Type

Label

Civic hope, how ordinary Americans keep democracy alive, Rodrick P. Hart

Language

eng

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Civic hope

Medium

electronic resource

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Oclc number

1030819438

Responsibility statement

Rodrick P. Hart

Series statement

Communication, society and politicsCambridge Social Sciences eBooks

Sub title

how ordinary Americans keep democracy alive

Summary

Civic Hope is a history of what everyday Americans say - in their own words - about the government overseeing their lives. Based on a highly original analysis of 10,000 letters to the editor from 1948 to the present published in twelve US cities, the book overcomes the limitations of survey data by revealing the reasons for people's attitudes. While Hart identifies worrisome trends - including a decline in writers' abilities to explain what their opponents believe and their attachment to national touchstones - he also shows why the nation still thrives. Civic Hope makes a powerful case that the vitality of a democracy lies not in its strengths but in its weaknesses and in the willingness of its people to address those weaknesses without surcease. The key, Hart argues, is to sustain a culture of argument at the grassroots level.--, Provided by publisher

Table Of Contents

The need for civic hope -- The search for civic hope -- The texture of civic hope -- The future of civic hope

Creator