Civic engagement, defined as individual and collective action to identify public issues and participate in public life, has been a hotly contested subject in recent years. Beginning with a chapter by the editors that maps current key issues and main research questions, contributors to this volume counter claims of civic decline to show how, when, where, and why people act civically in multiple ways in various settings and contexts. From the local level of urban neighborhoods to the large scale institutions of health and higher education, this book documents how Americans actively shape public concerns. Attentive to matters of
race and class, this book will be of interest to anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of civic engagement in relation to civil society and politics, and to its theory and practice. The book will be useful
in a wide range of courses including those in Political Science, Sociology, Urban and Community Studies, Education, American Studies, Race and Ethnic Studies, and Nonprofit Studies.