Participation in America: Political Democracy and Social Equality.

TLDR

Participation in America is the largest study of American citizens' political engagement, examining who participates, how, and the effects, and has been recognized with the Kammerer Award for its foundational insights into American democracy. The authors classify participation into voting, campaigning, communal activity, and official interaction, and use a national survey plus interviews in 64 communities to examine how socioeconomic status correlates with these forms.

Abstract

Participation in America represents the largest study ever conducted of the ways in which citizens participate in American political life. Sidney Verba and Norman H. Nie addresses the question of who participates in the American democratic process, how, and with what effects. They distinguish four kinds of political participation: voting, campaigning, communal activity, and interaction with a public official to achieve a personal goal. Using a national sample survey and interviews with leaders in 64 communities, the authors investigate the correlation between socioeconomic status and political participation. Recipient of the Kammerer Award (1972), Participation in America provides fundamental information about the nature of American democracy.