Why social capital matters - RSA events - RSA

Patron's Lecture: why social capital matters

Public talks

 -  | GMT Standard Time

RSA House and YouTube

  • Community and place-based action
  • Democracy and governance
  • Economy
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Social innovation

Join us for the annual RSA Patron’s Lecture.

Please note: in-person tickets are sold-out, but you can still book a place to watch the livestream and join the conversation online.

This year’s keynote speaker is world-renowned political scientist Robert D. Putnam, author of the groundbreaking work Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, which has shaped global conversations on the importance of communal ties and social capital.

Robert Putnam will be speaking to us about the vital role of social connections in combating the deepening crises of social isolation, political polarization, and economic inequality, drawing on insights from his latest work The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again.

Divisions can be healed, he argues. Our fraying social fabric rewoven. By focusing on rebuilding society’s relational foundations, we can create a future where everyone has the connections they need to thrive.

Following his keynote address, Professor Putnam will be joined in conversation by RSA CEO Andy Haldane, and partners from the first-of-its-kind Revealing Social Capital research programme, which is exploring how connectedness impacts life outcomes and opportunities across the UK, from social mobility to health and education.

Chair:

  • Andy Haldane, RSA CEO

Speakers:

  • Robert D. Putnam, Malkin Research Professor of Public Policy, Harvard University
  • Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs, Meta

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