Social Capital, Social Support and Stratification – Book Review

Social Capital, Social Support and Stratification: An Analysis of the Sociology of Nan Lin

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Year: 2019
Language: English

Edited by

Ronald S. Burt, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago,
Yanjie Bian, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota,
Lijun Song, Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University
Nan Lin, Department of Sociology, Duke University, US

This insightful book explores the spread of network imagery in three areas of sociology – social capital, social support, and China – using as its protagonist a man active in all three: Nan Lin. Social Capital, Social Support and Stratification provides a unique combination of Nan Lin’s core contributions to the field presented alongside new and original analyses.

Contributors

Y. Bian, R.S. Burt, W.M. Ensel, W. Kuo, N. Lin, R.S. Simeone, L. Song, J.C. Vaughn, W. Xie, X. Ye

Book Review

Nan Lin’s extensive work on social capital is an essential resource for anyone approaching social capital from a network perspective. His oeuvre is indispensable for anyone interested in a network approach to social capital research. Nan Lin built on the work of Granovetter and Bourdieu to develop a robust research tradition that is not susceptible to many of the criticisms common to other approaches to social capital. Nan Lin exemplifies scholarship and excellence in sociological research. Social Capital, Social Support and Stratification presents Nan Lin’s key contributions to the field along with insightful analysis. For anyone interested in individual-level social capital and the network approach to conceptualising it, this is an excellent book and a key resource.

Purchase online

The eBook version is priced from £25/$32 from Google Play and other eBook vendors, while in print the book can be ordered from the Edward Elgar Publishing website.

Contents

1 Introduction

PART I SOCIAL CAPITAL
2 Nan Lin and Social Capital
Ronald S. Burt
3 Social Resources and Strength of Ties: Structural Factors in Occupational Status Attainment
Nan Lin, Walter M. Ensel and John C. Vaughn
4 Building a Network Theory of Social Capital
Nan Lin

PART II SOCIAL SUPPORT
5 Nan Lin and Social Support
Lijun Song
6 Social Support, Stressful Life Events, and Illness: A Model and an Empirical Test
Nan Lin, Ronald S. Simeone, Walter M. Ensel and Wen Kuo
7 Social Support and Depressed Mood: A Structural Analysis
Nan Lin, Xiaolan Ye and Walter M. Ensel

PART III STRATIFICATION IN CHINA
8 Nan Lin and the Sociology of China
Yanjie Bian
9 Getting Ahead in Urban China
Nan Lin and Yanjie Bian
10 Occupational Prestige in Urban China
Nan Lin and Wen Xie

PART IV REFLECTIONS
11 Lessons Learned from Lifelong Studying and Conducting Research
Nan Lin