Putnam Response: "Still 'Bowling Alone'?"

The article I chose in response to Putnam is "Still 'Bowling Alone'?" by Leslie Lenkowsky.  Lenkowsky disagrees with Putnam on a variety of points.  For example, she cites that "Americans have been volunteering at an ever-increasing rate for the past twenty years" (57).  She also references Tocqueville, explaining that he was the first to explore voluntary associations and social capital. 


Lenkowsky's main argument against Putnam is that he uses statistics that exaggerate the degree of decline in social capital.  While she concluded that Putnam "probably underestimates some factors and overestimates others" she agrees with Putnam's conclusion.  Lenkowsky concedes that the United States is experiencing a decline in social capital and that much work will be needed to restore it.