From Bowling Alone to Join or Die: A discussion with filmmakers Rebecca and Pete Davis

“This is a film about why you should join a club.” So begins the documentary Join or Die, available to stream on Netflix, that follows the work of sociologist, Dr. Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, the Collapse and Revival of American Community, who famously argued that American civic organizations and engagement were in serious and steady decline and that this would not bode well for the nation. The documentary’s co-directors and co-producers (and siblings), Rebecca and Pete Davis, join the O’Connor Institute to discuss their film and why joining a club may be the best way for individuals to improve their communities and country.

In a 2008 commencement speech, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor referenced Putnam’s important work:

“I have been reading lately that we Americans are losing some of our own tradition of gathering together in voluntary associations . . . People are leaving bowling leagues and bowling by themselves in greater numbers. The author believes that is only one example of a wider trend. I urge you not to let that happen. Give of yourselves to voluntary associations that you care about. Nourish that American tradition.”

Continue the conversation on July 23. Register now.

About the Speakers

Rebecca Davis has produced for HBO, Vice, and A&E, and was the supervising producer for Season 2 of Vox’s Netflix show Explained. She was a senior producer for NBC News for nearly a decade. 

Pete Davis is a writer and civic advocate, and a former student of Robert Putnam’s. He is the author of Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Scrolling, and cofounder of the Democracy Policy Network. 

Liam Julian | Moderator

Liam Julian is Vice President of Programs & Public Policy at the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy. He was previously managing editor of Policy Review magazine in Washington, D.C., and a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. His writing and commentary on public policy have appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, National Review, and RealClearPolitics, and on NPR programs including Morning Edition and All Things Considered. He also directed development of Advanced Placement curricula at the College Board, including leading the redesign of the AP U.S. Government and Politics course.