Habits of the heart : individualism and commitment in American life : updated edition with a new introduction

Attention has been focused on forms of social organisation, be it civil society, democratic communitarianism, or associative democracy, that can humanise the market and the administrative state. In their new Introduction the authors relate the argument of their book both to the current realities of American society and to the growing debate about the country's future. With this new edition one of the most influential books of recent times takes on a new immediacy. Habits of the Heart, first published in 1985, rapidly became one of the most widely discussed interpretations of American society in the twentieth century, joining a small body of pivotal studies such as Middletown and The Lonely Crowd. Much of what Habits described, and which resonated so widely in the public consciousness, is even more evident ten years later. Meanwhile, the authors' antidote to the American sickness - a quest for democratic community that draws on our diverse civic and religious traditions - has contributed to a vigorous scholarly and popular debate. In their new introduction, the authors relate the argument of their book to both the current realities of American society and the growing debate about the country's future. Meanwhile, the authors' antidote to the American sicknessa quest for democratic community that draws on our diverse civic and religious traditionshas contributed to a vigorous scholarly and popular debate. Attention has been focused on forms of social organization, be it civil society, democratic communitarianism, or associative democracy, that can humanize the market and the administrative state. In their new Introduction the authors relate the argument of their book both to the current realities of American society and to the growing debate about the country's future. With this new edition one of the most influential books of recent times takes on a new immediacy. Introduction to the Updated Edition Preface INTRODUCTORY I The Pursuit of Happiness 2 Culture and Character: The Historical Conversation PART ONE PRIVATE LIFE 3 Finding Oneself 4 Love and Marriage 5 Reaching Out 6 Individualism 7 Getting Involved 8 Citizenship 9 Religion 1o The National Society CONCLUSION ii Transforming American Culture Appendix: Social Science as Public Philosophy Notes Glossary Index ' Wayne thus has a much better idea of what he is against than of what he is for. As a result, the ide The town father* With their private sanctuaries threatened,.such people often feel the need to get involved in politi Reveals the self-understanding of Americans as a people and as a nation