Social capital is important because it represents the productive benefits of sociability. The importance of social capital cannot be understated since it relates to every benefit of living in a society rather than as a hermit. Social capital has been described as both a glue and lubricant – a glue that holds societies together without …
Low social capital could be described as any situation where there is a lack of social structure and organisation, and or where people are prone to act antisocially. Simply put social capital is the productive benefits of sociability. So, when people act or are likely to act antisocially we could describe the context as having …
A simple way to describe social capital is the benefits derived from being social. The core idea of social capital is that ‘relationships matter’ and that social networks are a valuable asset. That being social and working together is important and valuable. Social capital is aspects of social context (the “social” bit) that have productive …
This week I was sitting in an airport bar waiting for a flight. As I looked down the bar, all but one of the other 12 people were on their smart phones. No one was talking. There was no social interaction in that physical space, as all but one were occupied elsewhere. Were they all …
Is the use of personal mobile devices eroding the public sphere? Read More »
For more than 10 years I have been following the literature on social capital measurement, and hoping that someone will publish a thorough synthesis and analysis of measurement techniques to produce at least a good guide to its measurement in different contexts. I suspect this is a (near) impossible task given the commonly discussed problems …
Social capital is social relations that have productive benefits. The best way to understand social capital is through the old adage, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”. We intuitively understand that we can derive benefits from our relationships with others, whether it be as simple as finding a reliable mechanic (which can …
The more people you know, the more you do for these people, the more you give to other people you know, then the more social capital you have and the more benefit you can derive from it. You can generally only benefit from social capital under certain conditions Social capital is best ‘used’ when there …
There are several dichotomies for classifying types of social capital. There are two main classifications for social capital: Network perspective From a network perspective social capital can be classified as either bonding or bridging with a third type suggested as linking. Bonding social capital – ties between individuals with a relatively high degree of network …
When we talk about barren cultural landscapes what do we actually mean? Are we suggesting there is a lack of culture? Or do we mean the outcomes of said culture are somehow undesirable or negative (from a certain perspective)? I hear about how modern culture is hollow, eaten out by rampant individualism. I hear about …
A barren cultural landscape: causes and solutions Read More »
Social capital is a valuable concept that has far-reaching implications for various aspects of human life. It plays a crucial role in facilitating the sharing of information, building trust, and fostering mutual cooperation among people. Moreover, it enables the distribution of different forms of capital in ways that may not be possible otherwise. Overall, social …
Do you want to join the
The International Social Capital Association is an international non-profit member-based association devoted to advancing the research on and the application of the social capital concept for the benefit of all.
Read our Privacy policy
