Neighbors Matter More Than Politicians
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: May 9, 2012
A
report released today by the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, the
University of Alabama - New College, Auburn University
- College of Liberal Arts and NCoC (the National Conference on
Citizenship) finds that Alabama out-performs national trends in public
work - including attending meetings and working with neighbors to solve
problems. Some forms of civic involvement, such as
contacting elected officials and joining groups, appear to be lagging.
The Alabama Civic Health Index is the first report of its kind in the state. It is designed to help document traditional forms of participation, like voting and volunteering, and how Alabamians are connecting with friends, family, neighbors and institutions. The Civic Health Index finds that in 2010, Alabama ranked 18th in the nation for the percentage of citizens working with neighbors to solve community problems. This is in line with the findings that Alabama citizens ranked 4th in the nation for doing favors for neighbors and 7th in the nation for talking with neighbors.
"We hope the Alabama Civic Health Index will inspire the development of new programs, initiatives, policy and investments that increase access and opportunity for all Alabamians to engage in their communities," Kristen Cambell, chief program officer of NCoC said. "This will not only strengthen the civic fabric of the state, but could create models that other states in our civic health network could learn from and replicate."
Key Research Findings
About The University of Alabama - New College
The Alabama Civic Health Index is the first report of its kind in the state. It is designed to help document traditional forms of participation, like voting and volunteering, and how Alabamians are connecting with friends, family, neighbors and institutions. The Civic Health Index finds that in 2010, Alabama ranked 18th in the nation for the percentage of citizens working with neighbors to solve community problems. This is in line with the findings that Alabama citizens ranked 4th in the nation for doing favors for neighbors and 7th in the nation for talking with neighbors.
The reliance upon neighbors is much stronger outside of the state's major cities, with Alabama's rural
residents more likely to exchange favors
with neighbors at least a few times a week, at 29.6 percent, as opposed
to 15.3 percent of urban residents and 15.8 percent of suburban
residents. Similarly, rural residents were more likely to talk
frequently with neighbors at 55.3 percent versus 48.2 percent
of urban residents and 44.2 percent of suburban residents.
"The
programs that the David Mathews Center sponsors across the state of
Alabama focuses on public work and community-based decision making,"
Chris McCauley, executive
director of the David Mathews Center for Civic Life said. "Through
analyzing the results of the civic health index, we can continue to
develop new strategies to engage Alabamians and work toward improving
the civic and democratic health of the state."
The report identifies statewide efforts to foster civic engagement including civic education initiatives, volunteer programs and community-driven problem solving efforts. The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is working with citizens across Alabama to discuss what citizens can do to address the drop-out situation in their communities. Another featured program is the Alabama Poverty Project, which is helping Alabamians to eliminate poverty by providing presentations, seminars and working with communities to develop strategic plans to end poverty.
The report identifies statewide efforts to foster civic engagement including civic education initiatives, volunteer programs and community-driven problem solving efforts. The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is working with citizens across Alabama to discuss what citizens can do to address the drop-out situation in their communities. Another featured program is the Alabama Poverty Project, which is helping Alabamians to eliminate poverty by providing presentations, seminars and working with communities to develop strategic plans to end poverty.
"We hope the Alabama Civic Health Index will inspire the development of new programs, initiatives, policy and investments that increase access and opportunity for all Alabamians to engage in their communities," Kristen Cambell, chief program officer of NCoC said. "This will not only strengthen the civic fabric of the state, but could create models that other states in our civic health network could learn from and replicate."
Key Research Findings
The
report includes economic, geographic and generational analysis to see
how income, place and age may affect contributions to community.
Findings include:
- While 33.9 percent of urban residents and 32.5 percent of rural residents discuss politics at least a few times a year, only 16.7 percent of suburban residents report doing so.
- Overall, only 43.9 percent of Alabamians connect over the Internet a few times a week or more; this is less than the national rate of 54.3 percent.
- Women tend to be more socially connected than men: 29.9 percent of women connected in three or more ways, compared with only 22.7 percent of men.
- Public work generally increases with age, peaking for those between the ages of 65 and 80 (9.9 percent). Education is also a strong predictor of public work - just 1.2 percent of adults without high school diplomas met the criteria, as compared to 9.4 percent of college graduates.
"The
report is an excellent reminder that we have work to do in Alabama to
make our democracy perform as it should," Dr. Mark Wilson, director of
Civic Learning Initiatives
in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University said. "The stats say
we are neighborly, and that's nice and very southern, but we need to
turn that energy into the kind of public work that will help us solve
the problems that don't seem to go away very
easily."
The complete 2011 Alabama Civic Health Index report is available online at www.mathewscenter.org
and www.NCoC.net/ALCHI2011. Alabamians are encouraged to join in the dialogue by posting their comments in response to the report.
About the David Mathews Center for Civic Life
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, tax exempt corporation. The Center's purpose is to foster infrastructure, habits and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative public decision-making. The Mathews Center is focused on how citizens create political will and sustain public policy community decisions.
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, tax exempt corporation. The Center's purpose is to foster infrastructure, habits and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative public decision-making. The Mathews Center is focused on how citizens create political will and sustain public policy community decisions.
About The University of Alabama - New College
New
College is the University of Alabama's commitment to providing
personalized higher education for those students who need and desire
that special attention. New
College is an interdisciplinary liberal arts program where students
craft individualized courses of study consistent with their interests,
aptitude, temperament and skills.
About Auburn University - College of Liberal Arts
The
College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, comprised of thirteen
academic departments and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the
Arts & Humanities, is
home to nearly 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The College
fosters a community in which students, faculty and administration have
an understanding of the human condition, a respect for individual and
cultural differences, and a desire for the free
exchange of ideas.
About NCoC (the National Conference on Citizenship)
At the NCoC (the National Conference on Citizenship), we believe everyone has the power to make a difference in how their community and country thrive.
We are a dynamic, non-partisan nonprofit working at the forefront of our nation's civic life. We continuously explore what shapes today's citizenry, define the evolving role of the individual in our democracy, and uncover ways to motivate greater participation. Through our events, research, and reports, NCoC expands our nation's contemporary understanding of what it means to be a citizen. We seek new ideas and approaches for creating greater civic health and vitality throughout the United States.
At the NCoC (the National Conference on Citizenship), we believe everyone has the power to make a difference in how their community and country thrive.
We are a dynamic, non-partisan nonprofit working at the forefront of our nation's civic life. We continuously explore what shapes today's citizenry, define the evolving role of the individual in our democracy, and uncover ways to motivate greater participation. Through our events, research, and reports, NCoC expands our nation's contemporary understanding of what it means to be a citizen. We seek new ideas and approaches for creating greater civic health and vitality throughout the United States.
