ABOUT THE FILM

In this Emmy-nominated feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis.

Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Priya Parker, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Jane McAlevey, Hillary Clinton, and Eddie Glaude Jr. — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it?

DOWNLOAD PRESS KIT

INTERVIEWEES

Robert Putnam

Rosemary Putnam

Vivek Murthy

US Surgeon General

Priya Parker

Author, The Art of Gathering

Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

Princeton religion export

Hillary Clinton

U.S. Secretary of State

Raj Chetty

Harvard economist

Pete Buttigieg

Secretary of Transportation

Hahrie Han

Johns Hopkins political scientist

Jane McAlevey

Labor organizing scholar

Glenn Loury

Brown University economist

Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Brigham Young psychologist and public health expert

Mike Lee

US Senator

Xavier de Souza Briggs

Social scientist and policy advocate

Scott Heiferman

Meetup.com co-founder

David Brooks

New York Times columnist

Shaylyn Romney Garrett

The Upswing co-author

David Campbell

Notre Dame political scientist

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Join or Die spotlights six community groups working to revitalize American civic life.

Odd Fellows #80

Waxahachie, TX

Red Bike & Green

Atlanta, GA

Plainsong Farm & Ministry

Rockford, MI

Bowl Portland

Portland, ME

CIELO

Los Angeles, CA

Chicago Gig Alliance

Chicago, IL

ROBERT PUTNAM

Harvard professor Robert D. Putnam is America’s preeminent political scientist — and one of the most widely read and cited social scientists living today. Author of fourteen books, translated into twenty languages, his work focuses on asking big questions about American society and deploying immense, creative studies and analyses to unlock answers.

His groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research — which demonstrated that levels of American community connections were in decline over the past half-century — rocketed Putnam to national fame in the late 1990s, earning him the moniker “the poet laureate of civil society” and the ear of presidents, religious leaders, and tech founders over the coming decades. In 2012, President Obama awarded Putnam the National Humanities Medal, the nation’s highest honor for contributions to the humanities. As more people turn on to the reality of our social isolation crisis, interest in revisiting Putnam’s work has grown.

FILM TEAM

Rebecca Davis

Director and Producer

Rebecca Davis has produced for HBO, VICE, Al Jazeera and A&E — and was the supervising producer for Season 2 of Vox's Netflix show, Explained. She was a senior producer with NBC News for nearly a decade, where her work focused on social movements, environmental and economic justice, and community innovators.

Pete Davis

Director and Producer

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 Browsing. He is the co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network, a policy organization focused on raising up ideas that deepen democracy.

Ronan Killeen

Director of Photography

Ronan Killeen is a New York-based director of photography who has collaborated with some of the leading voices in documentary film. His credits include Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (Netflix), Sasquatch (Hulu), Lorena (Amazon), American Veteran (PBS), Get Me Roger Stone (Netflix), OJ: Made in America (ESPN), and many more.

Chad Ervin

Editor

As lead film editor Chad has made over thirty documentary films which have appeared on PBS (FRONTLINE, American Experience, American Masters), film festivals (SXSW, TIFF, VIFF, Full Frame), and theatrical distribution. Films he edited have received three Emmy-awards, as well as Peabody, Polk, and duPont Columbia awards, among others. He is a co-founder & president of the board of directors of the Vermont Production Collective, a non-profit that fosters community and workforce development in the film & media industry in Vermont, serves on the board of directors of the community media station ORCA Media, the advisory committee of the Green Mountain Film Fest, and on the Steering Committee for the Vermont Creative Network.

Mark Lopez

Animation Director

Mark Lopez is an award-winning animation director who has refined his craft at world-class motion studios on both coasts of the U.S. alongside some of the most creative minds in the country. Mark specializes in illustrated 2D mixed media storytelling with the goal of shining light on forgotten corners of society. His short film, Segregated By Design, was a Vimeo “Best of the Year” nominee in documentary. Silkworm is Mark’s studio practice, based in Austin, Texas, and collaborating all over the world.

Rebecca Kent

Archival Producer

Rebecca Kent loves a great story. She is an investigative producer with expertise in archival research, rights, and clearances. Her credits include Hulu's six-part 1619 Project series, the critically acclaimed documentary Ailey, Aftershock, winner of the Sundance Impact for Change Special Jury award, Dear Mr. Brody, Sony's Julia, Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided to Go for It, Netflix's Knock Down The House, The New York Time's Podcast Nice White Parents, PBS’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution and many others. She holds a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University and bachelors degrees in political science and English Literature from Kenyon College.

Chad Cannon

Composer

Born and raised in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah, Chad Cannon is a product of the American West. His recent work includes the score to the Oscar-winning Netflix documentary American Factory, HBO’s Mind Over Murder (directed by Nanfu Wang), and Sony PlayStation’s Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut (Iki Island Expansion, co-scored with Bill Hemstapat). Other collaborations include two films by Violet Du Feng, Harbor from the Holocaust (featuring special guest artist Yo-Yo Ma) and Hidden Letters (co-composed with Leona Lewis), as well as an upcoming docuseries for Hulu/ESPN.

Eric Gulliver

Additional Editor

Eric Gulliver is a documentary producer and editor on staff at American Experience PBS. In his 10+ years at GBH, Eric has helped national productions such as FRONTLINE and NOVA reach new audiences with television broadcasts and streaming. His feature editing work has premiered at major festivals across the world. As a versatile storyteller, he edits both long and short form films as well as interactive media. He lives and works in Arlington, MA

Inaya Graciana Yusuf

Additional Editor

Inaya Graciana Yusuf is an Indonesian-American artist and filmmaker raised throughout Southeast Asia. She is based in Oregon and New York. In 2013, she established Slow Your Roll Films specializing in documentaries, branded content and live action films. Her clients include production companies and non-profit organizations that produce content aimed for broadcast at platforms such as BBC, PBS, NETFLIX, ESPN FILMS, FOX SPORTS NETWORK, NBC NEWS, SHOWTIME, HBO DOCUMENTARIES, VICE, ACC NETWORK and YAHOO!, some of which has had a theatrical distribution. Inaya is currently working on her feature length documentary, The One and The Many in Tuscany, Italy while developing a short documentary, Many Feathers, Many Talents and a documentary series, Rooted.

Christian Oliveira

Assistant Editor

Christian is an editor and director based in Austin, Texas. He grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area and attended Baylor University for his undergraduate and graduate degrees. After finishing graduate school, Christian moved to Austin to work with director Terrence Malick on his upcoming film The Way of the Wind, and has since worked in post-production on projects for TLC, Netflix, Rooster teeth, and more.

Engy Adham

Associate Producer

Engy Adham is a documentary filmmaker and a journalist based in New York City. She is fiercely passionate about amplifying stories that challenge mainstream narratives. Her experience stretches from covering political news, social justice, arts and culture as a print journalist in Egypt to documentary filmmaking featuring stories on social justice and human rights in the United States. Engy worked on multiple documentaries featured on CNN, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Vox and Disney +. Engy was awarded the Open Society Fellowship (OSF) recognizing her efforts in civic journalism in Egypt.

Katie Schwartz

Line Producer

Katie Schwartz is a West Coast-based line producer, production executive, and all-around math whiz. At Maxine, she helps the team take a project from development into production. Katie manages all aspects of production from budget writing & financial tracking to shoot planning & execution to project finishing. Prior to working at Maxine, Katie was the EIC and line producer at Trilogy Films, working on the 37 Words & Deadlocked series as well as numerous films. Katie has over a decade of experience across the industry from news to scripted series to premium documentaries. Her work can be seen on HBO, Disney+, ESPN, Showtime, Hulu, and MTV. Katie likes to spend her free time practicing yoga, soaking up every ray of sun at the beach, and reading.

PRESS

“Proves itself vital and relevant, a necessary documentary that promises the conversation will continue long after the credits have rolled.”

Stephanie Archer, March 15, 2023

“Clear and clever… leaves viewers contemplating the stark command of the title.”

Nicole M. Perone, November 18, 2024

“Robert Putnam is an affable, sensitive person and a wonderful camera subject who never seems calculated, withholding, or insincere.”

Matt Zoller Seitz, March 13, 202

“Underlines the importance of civic engagement to our communities and each other. It shows us what is possible when people and communities pull together.”

Christopher Lane, July 29, 2024

“EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS MOVIE. IT’S PUT TOGETHER IN AN APPROACHABLE AND ENTERTAINING WAY AND IT’S A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO BE HAVING.”

Rachel Wagner, March 30, 2023

“The film is so convincing that you’ll likely be signing up for your local bowling league soon after the credits roll.”

Louisa Moore, March 19, 2024

Join or Die’ to Kick Off In Real Life Movie Club, Created For Americans Seeking Connections Across the Political Divide

Professor Robert Putnam’s work is featured in a new, entertaining documentary.

Variety | Addie Morfoot, August 20, 2024

Bob Putnam Knows Why You’re Lonely

More than two decades ago, Robert Putnam became something rare: a celebrity academic. A new documentary examines his work.

New York Times | Lulu Garcia Navarro, July 13, 2024

Can We Become a Country of ‘Joiners?’

A new documentary explores Robert Putnam’s life and work.

The New Republic | Jack McCordick, April 26, 2024

The Secret to Living Longer: Join a Club

The documentary ‘Join or Die’ examines the decline of civic engagement in America – and how it has fueled a worsening national crisis.

The Guardian | Matthew Cantor, July 23, 2024

Join a club, it’s good for democracy

Co-producers of “Join or Die: A Film About Why You Should Join a Club” Rebecca and Pete Davis discuss the importance of community and connectedness.

Marketplace | David Brancaccio, October 18, 2024

Will This Film Change Your Life? Maybe. Change the Way You See It? Absolutely.

Professor Robert Putnam’s work is featured in a new, entertaining documentary.

Boise State Public Radio | George Prentice, August 2, 2024

We Have to Rediscover the Joys of Being Together

Political scientist Robert Putnam talks to Christiane Amanpour about a new film that shares his work.

CNN | Christiane Amanpour, July 16, 2024

Exclusive Clip From ‘Join or Die’ From Rebecca and Pete Davis

The debut feature documentary examines civic duty and democratic participation in the U.S.

International Documentary Association | IDA Staff, June 20, 2024

Robert Putnam Practically Discovered Social Isolation:Here’s Why He Says It’s Time To ‘Join Or Die’

A new film features interviews with people on the cutting edge of the movement to reduce social isolation.

Forbes | Sachin H. Jain, July 21, 2024

Discovering a Sense of Purpose to Combat Loneliness

‘Join or Die’ argues that the fate of America depends on People getting together in real life.

Star Tribune | Erica Pearson, March 1, 2024

The Films We Loved Most at SXSW

Seeming irreparable divisions in our country have been a hot topic, but one documentary is preoccupied with finding solutions.

Austin Monthly | Chris Hughes & Rosie Ninesling, March 17, 2023

The Fate of America Depends on Joining a Club

‘Join or Die’ is the urgent title of a new documentary about America’s civic unraveling.

GBH | Jesse Steinmetz, May 19, 2023

New Documentary Explains How Joining a Group is the Key to Democracy

Building meaningful connections is hard, which is part of what drives their eventual value.

Culture Map Austin | Brianna Caleri, March 15, 2023

‘Believing Alone’ Is a Spiritual—Not Just Civic—Problem

"As the vitality of church communities wane, the ripple effects are felt throughout civic life."

The Gospel Coalition | Brett McCracken, September 12, 2024