Harvard Professor of Public Policy
Robert Putnam is a distinguished political scientist known for his work on social capital and community engagement.
"Work hard and you'll get there" is one of the most repeated promises in public life — but does the evidence actually support it? Malcolm Gladwell, Robert Putnam, and Angela Duckworth examine whether meritocracy is real, or whether opportunity, timing, and socioeconomic circumstance were always doing most of the work.
Jul 02, 2026The corner café, the neighborhood bar, the public park — these "third places" between home and work are where community actually happens. But they're disappearing. Ray Oldenburg, Susan Cain, and Robert Putnam explore what we lose when the spaces that make us feel like we belong stop feeling like ours.
Jun 05, 2026Governments are appointing ministers for loneliness while others argue connection is ultimately an individual pursuit — who's right?
May 20, 2026