Social Capital and Space

Abstract

The paper explores the spatial aspects of social capital. In the first part of the paper we provide an overview of the space dimension in relevant theories of social capital. Three approaches to social capital are included: key theories (Bourdieu, Coleman, Putnam), economic/ development theories and network theories. Differences among the authors with regard to spatial dimensions are based on different conceptualizations of social capital. The second part of the paper is an in-depth comparative analysis of spatial dynamics of social capital in theory, research and public policy. The main goal of this part of the paper is to examine three spatial dimensions of social capital: spatial framework, space distance and mobility of social agents. The research-based results indicate that space does not have the same effect on different social agents and that some types of social capital are more determined by space dimensions. The last chapter focuses on the public policy conceptualizion of social capital and space. The space-based manipulation of social capital in public policy reflects the long-lasting political tendency to modify sociability through the manipulation of spatial factors. The programs of social urbanism are based on the local community as the optimal spatial framework for social capital development. Copyright © 2011-Institute for Social Research in Zagreb Sva prava pridržana - All rights reserved.