On recent trends in civic engagement

There has been a relative decrease in civic engagement, but it would be misleading to attribute this trend solely to the effects of the recession. According to an AP report, a recent study from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), to be webcast on the NEA website today, finds public participation as a percentage of the population has been trending downwards for several years, most notably starting “in 1992, just as the internet was taking off,” and the effects has been across the board, ranging from attendance at movie theatres, jazz concerts, art exhibits, “ballet, opera, musical and non musical theatre, and arts/craft fairs and festivals” to parks, monuments and historical buildings visitations. The only bright spot has been an increase in reading of “‘literature,’ as defined as ‘plays/poetry/novels/short stories’”.

If not the recession, could the cause of the decline be the result of the internet and social and new media technology? I am not so sure. Several weeks ago, I read a report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project which indicated that the effects of the internet and social and new media technology on civic engagement were either neutral or positive in most cases. Among the findings: “(i)nternet use does not pull people away from public spaces”, “is associated with engagement in places such as parks, cafes, and restaurants, the kinds of locales where research shows that people are likely to encounter a wider array of people and diverse points of view”; “cell phone users, those who use the internet frequently at work, and bloggers are more likely to belong to a local voluntary association, such as a youth group or a charitable organization”; and “internet use in general and use of social networking services such as Facebook in particular are associated with having a more diverse social network.”

As Jesse Rosen, in the article I referenced earlier, speculates, however, the cause of the percentage decline may actually be due to a shift in ways Americans choose to participate in public life. What’s more, a percentage decline may not necessarily mean that there is a net decline, given the population has obviously grown since 1992. Nonetheless the study does raise interesting questions about getting more citizens involved in art appreciation and civic engagement as well as whether traditional ways of defining such public participation fully account for recent changes in how citizens choose to participate. I will try to follow up on the points raised in the webcast and post my comments here if I encounter something that is noteworthy.

Nobel Peace Prize and National Historical Landmarks

There are a couple of things I would like to comment on in the next couple of days. The first would be President Obama’s Nobel Lecture, where, his aides have suggested, he will lay out his vision for peace and address the seeming irony of being both a war-time President and a Nobel Peace Laureate. (By the way, I am watching a streaming video on the CBS News website of the pre Nobel Lecture ceremony as I write this blog entry). Also, I will try to talk about National Historical Landmarks, particularly in the state of New York, which has by far the most Landmarks, and the state of Texas. Until next time, best wishes.