Prominent Scholar Robert Putnam to Give Lecture at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
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Alexandria—The Bibliotheca Alexandrina will receive on Sunday 14 January 2007 renowned Harvard Professor of Political Sciences, Prof. Robert Putnam. Prof. Putnam is known as an authority on the subjects of civic engagement, civil society, and social capital. His book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000) has achieved world renown.
To mark the day, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina will organize an extensive cultural program. The program will begin with a lecture by Prof. Putnam entitled "Community Engagement in a Changing America." The lecture will deal with the concept of social capital and the crucial role it would play in any potential resurgence. The lecture will focus on the American society and the changes it has undergone over the past three decades as Americans have become increasingly disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and social institutions. Putnam's research demonstrates that the decline of community has serious consequences for our civic and personal health. While generational changes, suburban sprawl, two-career families, and prominence of television in our lives have drastically changed civil society in America, Putnam sees some reasons for hope. In this talk, he describes the decline of the community in America, why this matters for our personal and collective futures, and what can be done to stem the tide.
The program will also include a workshop organized by BA's Dialogue Forum. The workshop will hold open discussions on several topics including democracy, the civic society, and social capital. A select group of professors of political science from various Egyptian universities will participate in the discussion.
Sunday, January 14 2007 at 12:30 pm – the Conference Center
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