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The Communitarian Update
Number 38
August 21, 2001
Is America (Still) a Monochromatic Society?
On October 22, the Communitarian Network will present a day-long discussion among scholars about
the social meanings of the recent Census figures, under the heading: Is America (Still) a Monochromatic
Society? do demographic change--which show an ever-increasing number of minorities--point to a
significant break in the prevailing creed and institutions of American society? Meeting to take
place at New York University, NYC.
The day-long deliberations will be followed with an evening session open to the public, to take
place from 7 to 10 p.m. at Hemmindinger Hall. It will take the format of Author Meets His
Critics--a debate format. Critics will challenge the thesis advanced by Amitai Etzioni book,
The Monochrome Society. No fees but space is limited, hence preregistration is required. Please
contact: comnet@gwu.edu with NYU in the subject line.
FOR UPDATES ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR PROGRAM ON DIVERSITY WITHIN UNITY IN BRUSSELS,
BELGIUM NOVEMBER 1 AND 2, SEE OUR WEB SITE: http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps. For more information on
the Brussels meeting, contact Mackenzie Baris at comnet@gwu.edu with DWU in the subject line.
Room Finalized!!
Attention Political Scientists:
Short Course on New Communitarian Thinking
by Philip Selznick and Amitai Etzioni
Date: Wednesday, 8/29,01, Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Union Square 18-Hilton, APSA meeting, San Francisco Hilton & Towers.
A review of recent works in political theory and macrosociology concerning new (or responsive)
communitarian thinking. Special focus on the tension between liberty and social order, the
relationship between social norms or mores and laws, the role of moral dialogue versus reasoned
deliberations, and ways to exit out of cultural relativism. Course to be conducted in the form
of a seminar.
Religion on the brain
"The brain is the hardware through which religion is experienced," said Daniel Batson, a University
of Kansas psychologist who studies the effect of religion on people. "To say the brain produces
religion is like saying a piano produces music." From a recent article on efforts by scientists to
understand religion (Washington Post, 6/17/01)
Become an endorser!
Read and endorse our communitarian platform. Go to our web site:
http://www.communitariannetwork.org. Recent endorsers include Law Professor Robert F. Cochran of Pepperdine
University, Ante Lauc of Osijek, Croatia, and Rebecca Sandel a mediator and activist from Seattle, WA.
Who cares?
Fewer than one in five whites help care for or provide financial support for their parents,
in-laws or other older relatives, compared with 28% of African-Americans, 34% of Hispanic-Americans
and 42% of Asian-Americans. Those who provide the most care also feel the most guilt that they are
not doing enough. Almost three-quarters of Asian-American say they should do more for their parents,
compared with two-thirds of Hispanics, slightly more than half the African-American and fewer than half
the whites. (New York Times, 7/11/01)
Happiness or hard work?
86 percent agree that one reason for divorce is too much of a focus on expectations for happiness
and not enough of a commitment to the hard work needed for a successful marriage. According to a
recent survey conducted by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University which asked 1,003
single and married men and women, ages 20 to 29, about their attitudes on love and marriage.
Executives' pensions rise
As firms pare pensions for most, they boost those for executives says an article in the June 20,
2001 issue of the Wall Street Journal.
Subscribe to the Responsive Community
Visit The Responsive Community on our web: http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/rcq. If you would like to
receive a FREE sample of our publication for yourself or your organization, please let us know
at comnet@gwu.edu, or call (800) 245-7460. Same--to subscribe.
New Publications
Civic Innovation in America: Community Empowerment, Public Policy, and the Movement for Civic Renewal -
Carmen Sirianni and Lewis Friedland (University of California Press, 2001).
Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy - Mark R. Warren
(Princeton University Press, 2001).
The State of Our Unions: The Social Health of Marriage in America, 2001 - The National Marriage
Project, University of Rutgers.
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