On September 30, 2026, John Cabot University welcomed Robert D. Putnam the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy Emeritus at Harvard Kennedy School, for a presidential lecture titled “The Transformation of American Politics, Between Long Trends and Recent Earthquakes.” The event marked the first such lecture under the university’s newly appointed President Antonia Maioni, who recalled how Putnam’s work had shaped her own graduate studies and teaching career at Harvard.
Former university president Franco Pavoncello, a former colleague of Putnam at the University of Michigan, introduced the audience, highlighting Putnam’s stature as a “towering figure of contemporary social science.” Among his many accolades, Putnam is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a former president of the American Political Science Association, and a 2013 recipient of the National Humanities Medal presented by President Barack Obama. His bibliography includes fifteen books, most notably Making Democracy WorkBowling AloneOur Kids and The Upswing.
Analyzing the 2024 election and the decline of social capital
Putnam opened his remarks by dissecting the 2024 United States presidential race. Contrary to the popular narrative that former President Donald Trump secured a “landslide” mandate, the actual popular-vote margin was a modest 1.5 percentage points—far below the 18-23 point victories recorded by Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932), Lyndon B. Johnson (1964) and Ronald Reagan (1984). He argued that Trump’s success hinged on a highly polarized, increasingly atomized electorate.
Drawing on his seminal work Bowling Alone Putnam described a gradual erosion of social capital—the web of friendships, organizational participation, trust in neighbors, and face-to-face interaction that binds communities. Since the mid-1960s, Americans have shifted from a collective “we” mindset to an individualistic “I” orientation. This decline, he warned, creates fertile ground for authoritarian populism a condition Trump skillfully exploited rather than created.
Historical precedents: The Progressive Era as an “upswing”
Turning to history, Putnam offered a parallel episode around the turn of the 20th century, when the United States faced severe inequality, deep political division, and fractured social ties. Yet the nation experienced a remarkable “upswing” that ushered in the Progressive Era. During this period, cooperation among political actors increased, income gaps narrowed, and a wave of civic organizations—such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs, and community Boys’ Clubs—emerged to teach responsibility, trust, and civic virtue.
He emphasized that the key question is not merely diagnosing today’s malaise but understanding how past generations reversed similar trends. The Progressive reforms were driven by three intertwined principles: youthful energy, local initiative, and the creation of institutions that fostered connection. These “moral moments,” he noted, often sparked when individuals witnessed stark injustice—citing Frances Perkins’ response to the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which propelled her to champion labor safety and later become the first female U.S. cabinet member.
Religion also played a catalytic role; Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum articulated a vision of workers’ rights and corporate responsibility, influencing early 20th-century reform movements.
Lessons for the 21st-century civic renaissance
Addressing the student audience, Putnam distilled three actionable lessons: “go young, go local, and build institutions that create connection.” He urged the next generation to replicate the grassroots, youth-led momentum that powered the Progressive Era, translating it into modern forms that resonate with today’s digital natives.
In a rallying close, Putnam promised to “sign you all up for revolution,” reminding listeners that societal change is measured in decades, not minutes. The challenge, he concluded, is to invent 21st-century equivalents of scouting clubs, labor unions, and faith-based initiatives that can re-weave the social fabric and restore a shared sense of purpose across America.
