Who has used the term ‘bowling alone’ to describe the erosion of community ties in the United States?

The correct option is Robert Putnam.

Explanation:
The term "Bowling Alone" was coined by the American political scientist Robert Putnam. He first introduced this concept in his landmark 1995 essay "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital," which he later expanded into a bestselling book in 2000 titled Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.

Putnam used the metaphor of bowling to illustrate a significant decline in social capital and community engagement in the United States since the mid-20th century. He observed that while more Americans were participating in bowling than in previous decades, they were doing so individually or in informal groups rather than as part of structured league bowling. This shift served as a key indicator of a broader societal trend where membership and participation in traditional civic organizations, neighborhood groups, and community associations had sharply declined, leading to the erosion of social ties and trust among citizens.