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Social capital

Man kind | 08.04.2004 12:18

Social capital is a well recognised concept in the field of human
development

Social capital is a well recognised concept in the field of human
development - see for example the Department For International
Development's (DFID) framework for analysing livelihoods; social
capital is often found to be a significant assets in the livelihood
options of people living in poverty.

The DFID definition of social capital higlights its importance in
accessing information:

"Social Capital is a category of livelihood assets. It relates to the
formal and informal social relationships (or social resources) from
which various opportunities and benefits can be drawn by people in
their pursuit of livelihoods."

These resources are developed through investment in:

+ interactions (through work or shared interests) that increase
people's ability to work together;
+ membership of more formal groups in which relationships are by
accepted rules and norms;
+ relationshps of trust that facilitate co-operation, reduce
transactions costs and sometimes help in the development of informal
safety nets amongst the poor.

Critial benefits of social capital are access to information, to
influence or power, and to claims or obligation for support from
others.

Man kind
- Homepage: http://www.livelihoods.org/

Comments

Display the following 11 comments

  1. Excellent Post — Toby
  2. Yeah. — Mad Ted
  3. social capital? — not a social scientist
  4. i agree with the penguin ! — rosa
  5. The Forms Of Capital — Theo Cuppier
  6. Social Capital theory — theo cuppier
  7. capital — mr economista
  8. ER>>> SURPLUS VALUE, ANYONE ? — MEHRWERT
  9. furthermore, "mr economista" — mehrwert
  10. I've read Marx — mr economista
  11. and by the way . . . — mr economista