Americans care about the public value of moral habits. They like to see virtue rewarded and vice censured, appealing as this does to the nation's deep sense that one's success rests neither in money nor in power but in one's civility. In The Soul of Civil Society Don Eberly and Ryan Streeter look beyond such abstractions as the 'voluntary sector' and superficial communitarian solutions to civic anomie to identify the pivotal role played by local voluntary associations in a civil society. Not only important for the services they provide, these 'little platoons, ' as Edmund Burke labeled them, are the public incubators of a 'new' morality, their emphasis on civic engagement at the local level central to preserving America's democratic culture on the national and international stage. More than simply championing the promise of a social renaissance, The Soul of Civil Society is essential reading for those seeking to do battle with a culturally entrenched individualism that threatens the core of America's moral vitality

Americans care about the public value of moral habits. They like to see virtue rewarded and vice censured, appealing as this does to the nation's deep sense that one's success rests neither in money nor in power but in one's civility. In The Soul of Civil Society Don Eberly and Ryan Streeter look beyond such abstractions as the "voluntary sector" and superficial communitarian solutions to civic anomie to identify the pivotal role played by local voluntary associations in a civil society. Not only important for the services they provide, these "little platoons," as Edmund Burke labeled them, are the public incubators of a "new" morality, their emphasis on civic engagement at the local level central to preserving America's democratic culture on the national and international stage. More than simply championing the promise of a social renaissance, The Soul of Civil Society is essential reading for those seeking to do battle with a culturally entrenched individualism that threatens the core of America's moral vitality.

The fatherhood movement has established itself as the most innovative and effective response to the most daunting crisis facing American families. Written by the movement's founders, this indispensable book illustrates the movement's methods for reconnecting men with their children and restoring the fragile bonds that hold our society together. This book is the manifesto of the fatherhood movement, and it provides valuable insights into the historical, social, economic, and spiritual dimensions of the 'disappearance' of fathers from society. Reflecting the complex nature of this problem, the contributors include activists, politicians, public intellectuals, and academics from a broad range of disciplines. They not only identify the root causes of the widespread withdrawal of fathers from family life, but also offer specific remedies on the individual, local, and national levels. This is a timely and important contribution to a topic of growing concern to all Americans.