Includes bibliographical references (p. [445]-504) and index.

Thinking about social change in America -- Political participation -- Civic participation -- Religious participation -- Connections in the workplace -- Informal social connections -- Altruism, volunteering, and philanthropy -- Reciprocity, honesty, and trust -- Against the tide? Small groups, social movements, and the Net -- Pressures of time and money -- Mobility and sprawl -- Technology and mass media -- From generation to generation -- What killed civic engagement? Summing up -- Education and children's welfare -- Safe and productive neighborhoods -- Economic prosperity -- Health and happiness -- Democracy -- The dark side of social capital -- Lessons of history: The Gilded Age and the Progressive Era -- Toward an agenda for social capitalists -- Appendix I: Measuring social change -- Appendix II: Sources for figures and tables -- Appendix III: The rise and fall of civic professional associations -- Notes -- The story behind this book.

Drawing on a large body of evidence Robert Putnam shows how changes in work, family structure, suburban life, technology, and the roles of women are isolating people from each other in a trend that has its reflection in British society.