The triple-threat of war, a slumping economy and an environmental crisis has brought grassroots campaigning back as a legitimate tool for social change and made voters more active in the democratic process, experts say.

Boston College sociology professor Charles Derber, along with Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, discussed the role of the individual in the democratic process last night at Boston College’s “Activating Democracy: How Grassroots Movements Can Revolutionize Politics.”

The event drew a near-capacity crowd of students, faculty and area residents expressing concern for and sometimes outrage about the current condition of democracy — sentiments echoed by the panelists.

“The democratic crisis that we’ve seen in spates over the last 30 to 40 years is no accident,” Derber said. “It’s been designed and planned by the political elites who are terrified by the specter of mass grassroots political activism they saw in the ’60s.”

He said widespread youth political mobilization caused politicians to intentionally suppress public involvement and alienate them from the political process.

“There is nothing is more dangerous than a mobilized generation,” he said.

Derber said the response to global warming is a contemporary example of the “activation of democracy” — a grassroots response to crisis.

“I’m afraid that if we do not change the way things are going that we are in grave danger of losing our democracy,” said BC biology professor emeritus Joe Orlando. “We have bought into this ‘Be fearful but keep shopping.'”

Murray said grassroots campaigning helped him get elected in the 2006 election. He said it was his first experience using an email-based strategy as part of the “phenomenon” of current Internet political campaigning.

“The world belongs to those who show up,” he said. “If you want to make a difference on an issue, you have to show up every day.”

In addition to Gov. Deval Patrick’s success in the 2006 election, Murray said grassroots campaigning has influenced current political races like Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s online campaign.

Audience participation at the event demonstrated the essential aspect of grassroots philosophy – personal involvement and discussion rather than top-down organization.

“I was really pleased to have that kind of interaction,” said event moderator Rebecca Rowley, the director of Leadership for Change. “That’s one of the things we really believe in . . . it’s not to be talked at but to have people talk amongst themselves and reflect.”