Social Capital

Social capital refers to connections within and between individuals or organizations linked by one or more types of interdependency, such as values, visions, or ideas.  These linkages can produce enduring relationships that create bridges between entities within a community.  Social capital is a way to enhance civic engagement and a way to ascertain a community's social health.   Social capital tends to be a collective community resource.  In addition, social capital can lead to consensus building that implies a collective interest and agreement among the various actors.  Social capital requires community actors to work together to enhance participation and engagement within the community.  As such, social capital requires that community players develop a network to enhance trust, collective action, social inclusion, and the dissemination of information through communication networks.  In sum, the concept of Social Capital holds that social networks formed in a community’s neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, churches, civic associations, and even friendship groups have value.  Strong networks represent potential resources a community can use to solve problems and contribute to development. 

 

Click on the icon to retrieve an Encyclopedia of Informal Education article that addresses social capital.


 

This web page provides lists of community and regional social capital resources that you can use to determine sources committed to civic engagement.  Click on the appropriate button to retrieve a list.

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Last Update:  June 29, 2009