David E. Campbell, a political scientist at the University of Notre Dame, is a co-author of a new book that proposes means to invigorate the political participation of Americans.
“Democracy at Risk: How Political Choices Undermine Citizen Participation, and What We Can Do About It” examines the dangers of civic disengagement and Americans’ decreasing involvement in their own affairs.
The authors – a committee of political science scholars formed by the American Political Science Association (APSA) to study civic education and engagement – chart a course in the book for reinvigorating civic participation in the world’s oldest democracy. They focus on three main areas of the American political system: the electoral process, the impact of location, and the role of nonprofit organizations and voluntary associations.
In addition to Campbell, authors of “Democracy at Risk” include scholars from Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and St. Louis Universities, the APSA, and several other universities and institutes.
A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 2002, Campbell is an assistant professor of political science and faculty fellow in the Institute for Educational Initiatives. His areas of specialty include American politics, political participation, religion and politics, and educational policy.
Originally published by at newsinfo.nd.edu on September 13, 2005.