Social capital

Social capital is a socio-economic concept with a variety of inter-related definitions, based on the value of social networks.

Definitions

In The Forms of Capital (1986) Pierre Bourdieu distinguishes between three forms of capital: economic capital, cultural capital and social capital. He defines social capital as "the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition."

Related Topics:
1986 - Pierre Bourdieu - Economic capital - Cultural capital

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Social capital "refers to the collective value of all 'social networks' and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other," according to Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone and the concept's leading exponent (though not its originator). According to Putnam and his followers, social capital is a key component to building and maintaining democracy.

Related Topics:
Social network - Robert Putnam - Bowling Alone - Democracy

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Nan Lin's concept of Social Capital has a more individualistic approach: Investment in social relations with expected returns in the marketplace. It may subsume some others concepts such as Bourdieu, Coleman, Flap, Putnam and Eriksson as noted in Nan Lin book "Social Capital" (2001; Cambridge University Press).

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Francis Fukuyama described it thus, "Social capital can be defined simply as the existence of a certain set of informal values or norms shared among members of a group that permit cooperation among them."

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