Award winning author Robert Putnam addressed students, faculty and staff during opening convocation Tuesday, September 7. Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone, challenged students to work to build communities and increase social interaction within them.

According to Putnam, a professor of public policy at Harvard, there has been a national decline in “social connectedness” that dates back to the late 1960s. Simply put, Putnam says, people do not see as much of each other today as they did in the past.

Across the nation, clubs, churches, and other social organizations have seen declining membership numbers and attendance as people have become increasingly self-sufficient and less dependent on their communities. Researchers have concluded that this decline in social interaction is detrimental to both society as a whole and the well-being of individuals. Social isolation can cause abnormally high stress levels than can lead to premature death, Putnam warned.

Putnam emphasized the effects that decreased social interaction has on the generation now in college, saying that “clinically measured depression is ten times higher” than it was when the World War II generation was the same age. Suicide rates have risen considerably as well.

Putnam made sure to reflect on the lighter side too. He drew laughter from the audience when he used data showing a decline in picnics since 1968 as evidence of less social interaction. “We are in the middle of a national picnic crisis!” he said.

President Brian Rosenberg, addressing the crowd after Putnam spoke, made light of the picnic data, inviting the audience to help boost the statistics by attending an all-school cookout after the convocation.

Yet, Putnam said, there is hope for today’s college students. After the September 11 attacks, people from all age groups showed more willingness to participate in community activities such as joining clubs and volunteering. Three years later, he said, the generation now in college is the only age group that has maintained higher-than-average levels of community involvement.

According to Putnam, research shows that after disasters people are more willing to interact with and trust other people. This same research indicates that people in the formative years of their life are more likely to sustain this sense of duty. Putnam said it was the duty of today’s students to nurture that sense of responsibility.

Macalester College Student Government President Michael Barnes ‘06, who introduced Putnam, also challenged the audience to participate in civic life. “What do you do when you step outside this auditorium?” he asked.

“I appreciated what he was saying,” said Anirudh Seth ‘07, “because I can see it happening.”

Political Science Professor Adrienne Christiensen, who uses Putnam’s writing in her argumentation class, said she enjoyed hearing him speak. “We always have vigorous discussions about Bowling Alone [in class],” she said, adding that Putnam addressed many criticisms that have been made about his work.