Half of our eligible citizens fail to cast a presidential ballot and many more than half
routinely ignore state and local elections. Does this phenomenon point to a crisis of democracy
or does such behavior simply reflect indifference - or even contentment - among the public?
Should we be alarmed that so many of our citizens seem disinterested and unwilling to
participate in the various activities and forms of association that constitute civic life? If
we are concerned by such matters what might be done to reengage those who are seemingly
disengaged? This book explores these questions and examines the well being of our civic
condition at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Grounded in a communication perspective
we view the fundamental nature of a democracy as that of a civic dialogue - an ongoing
conversation between our elected leaders or political candidates and the citizens they lead or
wish to lead. Accordingly the studies presented in this volume examine our civic sphere and
the electoral process as a communicative interaction between elected officials political
candidates the media and citizens.
