Social Capital

1520 Words4 Pages

Theoretical framework The concept of social capital has become popular in sociological theory. Citizen involvement and participation in groups can have positive consequences for the individual and the community is a staple notion, dating back to Durkheim’s emphasis on group life as an antidote to anomie and self-destruction and to Marx’s distinction between an atomized class- in-itself and a mobilized and effective class -for-itself. In this sense, the term social capital simply recaptures an insight present since the very beginnings of the discipline. Bourdieu (1985) has presented first systematic analysis of social capital (p. 248). The positive effects of sociability, social capital has, in my view, a place in theory and research. …show more content…

Capacity-building of the existing informal and formal community-based support networks anorganizations is essential for enhancing social capital and for bringing about sustained behaviour change. Capacity-building of community structures includes support to self-help groups/community-based care/support networks (e.g. for people living with HIV/AIDS), support to microcredit schemes to reduce economic vulnerability and insecurity, strengthening rights and health networks of women and informal and formal networks of men to address issues of gender equity and reproductive health, and strengthening existing mechanisms for community participation, e.g. village-development committees, women's groups, management of community health, and the capacity of community-based groups to undertake advocacy …show more content…

At present, the pendulum has swung back, and a number of authors are calling for stronger community networks and norm observance in order to re-establish social control. This may be desir-able in many instances, but the downside of this function of social capital must also be kept in mind. Constraints on individual freedom may be responsible for Rumbaut’s findings that high levels of feministic solidarity among recent immigrant students are negatively related to four different educational outcomes, including grades and standardized test scores. According to this author, “family ties bind, but sometimes these bonds constrain rather than facilitate particular outcomes” (Rumbaut 1977, p. 39). Community Governance

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