Academic Resources: topical resources: social capital
introductory concepts | bibiographies & databases | papers & publications | projects | syllabiintroductory concepts
What
is social capital?
Based on extracts from “Social Capital: Family Support Services and
Neighbourhood and Community Centres in NSW” Paul Bullen and Jenny
Onyx, April 1999
includes social
capital: resources and links
Social
Capital
Conceptual Frameworks; Related issues & frameworks; Australian surveys
and projects, New Zealand, USA, Other Places; Writings - Putnam, Cox, Fukuyama;
Further reading, bibliographies, literature reviews
Social
Capital: What is it?
from Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community
by Robert D. Putnam (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000).
'social
capital'
Entry in the encyclopaedia
of informal education, Mark K. Smith 2000, 2001. Last update:05 November
2002
The notion of social capital is a useful way of entering into debates about
civil society – and it is central to the arguments of Robert Putnam
and others who want to ‘reclaim public life’. It is also now
being used by the World Bank with regard to economic and societal development
and by management experts as a way of thinking about organizational development.
We examine it's nature - and some of the issues surrounding its use. Includes
links, references, and further reading,
The
Australian Bureau of Statistics Social Capital Theme page
There is a widely held view that social and economic outcomes of individuals,families
and communities are better in areas and for groups where there are higher
levels of social capital. Policy interest centres on the nature of the relationship
between social capital and outcomes in areas such as health, education,
work, and income, as well as the ways in which social capital can be fostered.
For this reason, the ABS is interested in developing national and state
measures of social capital for future inclusion in our survey program. The
purpose of this theme page is to provide an up to date reference to the
progress of the ABS social capital project.
bibliographies & databases
Social
Capital: Conceptual Frameworks and Empirical Evidence. An Annotated Bibliography
(pdf)
Tine Feldman, and Susan Assaf, 1999.
This working paper series reports on the progress of the Social Capital
Initiative. It hopes to contribute to the international debate on the role
of social capital as an element of sustainable development.
PovertyNet
Library: Social Capital (WorldBank)
This database includes hundreds of abstracts of documents on social capital
which will be updated and supplemented periodically. The database is intended
to further the knowledge, understanding, and applications of social capital
for sustainable social and economic development. We hope that it will be
used by World Bank staff, external partners, universities, researchers,
institutions, civil society, governments and practitioners interested in
social capital.
Reading Lists in Social Capital -- Social Capital Gateway, Dept. of Public Economics, University of Rome La Sapienza
What is social capital: basic concepts
Essential readings of this section include the studies that have introduced the multidimensional concept of social capital in the social sciences debate, influencing great part of the following literature on this topic. Further readings include some alternative views and few useful surveys of the literatureMeasuring Social Capital
Section devoted to the measurement of social capital. It includes theoretical works on measurement methods, empirical studies measuring social capital at a local level, and few useful surveys of the literatureSocial capital and health
This section deals with the relationship between social capital and health. Particular attention is given to the role of social capital in improving the efficiency and accessibility of public health systems.Social Interactions, Health and the Quality of Life in Urban and Rural Areas of Less Developed Countries
Studies collected in this section show how different forms of social capital may mitigate the effects of poverty and inequalities. For example, social networks make possible the creation of spontaneous mechanisms of informal insurance; collective action, often in the form of voluntary organizations, can improve the efficiency of public services delivery and/or of public social protection systems.Social capital, productivity, knowledge and innovation
This section deals with the relationship between social networks, knowledge diffusion and technological innovation. Suggested readings address both the micro and the macro level of analysis.Social capital, public services and the welfare state
Social capital is able to improve the quality of life also reducing inequalities and fostering the efficiency and accessibility of public mechanisms of social protection. This sub-section deals in particular with the relationship between social capital and the welfare state in public services delivery and inequalities reduction.Development Assistance, Civil Society, Social Capital and Poverty Reduction
This section deals with the biunique relationship between social capital and development programmes.Social capital and economic transition in post-communist countries
This section collects readings on the role of social capital in the economic transition in post-communist countries. Considered studies are closely related to those presented in the section devoted to Trust and institutions in post-communist countries.
papers & publications
Working Papers of the Social Capital Initiative (WorldBank)
Social
Capital and Civil Society
Francis Fukuyama, The Institute of Public Policy, George Mason University,
October 1, 1999
Prepared for delivery at the IMF Conference on Second Generation Reforms
Social Capital and its Relevance to Health and Family Policy
S. Leeder & A. Dominello, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 23(4), 424- 9, 1999
Unsolved
Mysteries: The Tocqueville Files II -- The Downside of Social Capital
Alejandro Portes and Patricia Landolt, The American Prospect Volume
7, Issue 26. May 1, 1996 - June 1, 1996.
The
Network Structure of Capital (pdf)
Ronald S. Burt, University of Chicago and Institute Européen d'Administration
d'Affaires (INSEAD), May 2000
Pre-print for a chapter in Research and Organizational Behavior,
vol. 22, edited by Robert I. Sutton and Barry M. Staw. Greenwich, CT: JAI
Press, 2000.
projects
The
Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey
In the survey, we look at how connected we are to family, friends, neighbors
and civic institutions on a local and national level. These connections
- our Social Capital - are the glue that hold us together and enable us
to build bridges to others. This project will assist residents in each of
our local communities as they work to build stronger communities and strengthen
community bonds.
syllabi
Developing
Social Capital
Michael B. Spring, Department of Information Science and Telecommunications,
School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, January 1997
Seminar
in Political Economy: Social Capital (pdf)
Eric Uslaner, Dept. of Political Science, University of Maryland, Spring
1999
Social
Capital and Development
Frank Fukuyama, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins
University, Spring 2004
updated April 30, 2007