Michael A. Krassa

Krassa's research examines the impact on people and politics of the changing character of social interaction in modern societies. It explores how social connections are formed and how they influence political opinions; attitudes; and the roles individuals take in government and civic life. The main emphasis of his recent work explores how the physical environment shapes social networks and individual attitudes toward other citizens; government; and one's attachment to place. In Fight versus Flight he examined how the physical realm shapes the individual's willingness to participate in neighborhood based collective action efforts; and in Public Space; Community Engagement; and Social Groups he demonstrates how the configuration of space shapes the kind of impact that formal and informal groups can have on civic engagement.