Helping Serendipity Along: The Internet's Role in the Evolution and Enhancement of Social Capital in the Era of American Civil Society Version 2.0.

A robust and active civil society is fundamental for democracy to succeed. Many political scientists have lamented the decline in traditional forms of civil society, warning of an imperiled form of democracy in the United States. This paper provides evidence that civil society is burgeoning in a new form, thanks to new technology. Today, citizens have more and varied outlets through which to add their voice to political debates and elections. This, in turn, encourages greater political participation and voter turn-out. Social networking communities allow citizens to connect to one another via varied organizations. Today, instead of people forming a neighborhood organization, citizens are turning to the internet to connect with others, utilizing networking websites to form organizations. These forms of civil society may be a casual cooking club or a group that plays basketball together each weekend. While pursuing these activities, people are also discussing issues that are important to them. Yes, the old form of civil society may be extinct, but this new, more-connected version proves that democracy is still alive and well. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]