Social capital and inequality in political participation
- ISSN: 04194209
Abstract
This study seeks to contribute to our understanding of the role that resources play in political participation. The fundamental question asked is, âœwhat role do structurally embedded resources, or social capital, play in mobilizing people to become politically active?â This question is addressed in a series of steps. In the first step, a measurement model of social capital incorporating trust, social networks, and participation in voluntary associations is created. Next, structural equation modeling is used to determine the extent to which there is inequality in social capital by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. In the final step, a structural equation model where social capital acts to mediate the effects of race/ethnicity and SES on five kinds of political participation is tested. The five types of political participation are: (1) general political engagement; (2) attending political meetings and rallies; (3) participating in boycotts, demonstrations, or marches; (4) signing petitions; and (5) membership in political organizations. The results suggest that socioeconomic status is positively associated with all three social capital variables, and that race/ethnicity is negatively related to trust and network diversity. The results suggest that social capital is an important resource that facilitates a range of political activities in the United States. The results also support the conclusion that differences in levels of social capital have implications for (and contribute to) differences in a variety of forms of political participation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
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