Building social capital in a divided city: the potential of events

Abstract

It is widely held that social capital can help build sustainable communities (Cuthill 2010), yet researchers agree that further research is needed to fully understand the social dimensions of sustainable development (Getz 2009). In event settings, understanding how social capital is formed remains limited (Wilks 2011). This paper addresses this issue by examining the extent to which the UK City of Culture 2013 (CoC13) succeeded in building social capital in post-conflict Derry/Londonderry. The authors adopted a case study approach and mixed qualitative methods in the form of in-depth interviews and focus groups. The findings suggest that CoC13 helped to generate both bonding and bridging social capital, however, while intra community bonds were strengthened, exclusivity was also fostered. More positive were the examples of bridging capital cultivated across communities, particularly between young attendees, and between event organisers, with cooperation building trust and goodwill between volunteers. Some of the cross community relationships developed have been sustained. However, the lack of legacy planning has meant that the long-term social goals have not been met. In summary, the study suggests that in a post conflict society, events can help build social capital. However, in the absence of legacy planning, the benefits gained may soon evaporate.

‘You feel you’re not alone’: how multicultural festivals foster social sustainability through multiple psychological sense of community

“…Many respondents noted that previous cultural festivals they had attended were mainly held in segregated ethnic neighborhoods which limited opportunities for exposure and interaction with the mainstream population. These accounts are consistent with previous findings where cultural and political divisions within a host city resulted in some events attracting only members of one community and restraining the bridging of ties between diverse communities (Devine & Quinn, 2019). As such, the central city location of NBF had allowed attendees to move from the periphery to the center, both in a physical and psychological sense (Mackley-Crump & Zemke, 2019), bringing mainstream Australians into the festival and allowing for interactions to happen:…”

“…Other critical accounts note that festivals are complex processes with potentially divisive outcomes (Duffy & Mair, 2018;Mair & Duffy, 2015). The negative social outcomes that they cause undermine the positive effects, many of which may be inequitably distributed (Devine & Quinn, 2019;Smith, 2009;Stevenson, 2016). Highlighting the paradoxical nature of festivals, Duffy and Waitt (2011) note that while festivals can be a catalyst for social integration and cohesion, they may also operate as spaces of exclusion and alienation.…”

“…Whilst festivals held in ethnic neighborhoods exclude members of the broader community (Devine & Quinn, 2019), the selection of the NBF location provided an opportunity for event attendance from a diverse range of cultures, thus increasing opportunities for migrants to engage with the mainstream population. This finding highlights the importance of location of multicultural festivals in supporting migrants' adaptation to the new society and their well-being.…”

Urban Planning and Reconstruction of Cities Post-Wars by the Approach of Events and Response Images

“…The study found that this social event had A prominent role in achieving interaction and strengthening links between the social fabric, especially among the youth group of event organizers, as the event contributed to building trust, cooperation, and goodwill between organizers and volunteers. The study found that social events can enhance the dimensions of sustainability, achieve the social pillar and build social capital [12].…”

Turismo Comunitario y Museo: Articulación para el Fortalecimiento de bases locales

“…Este modelo de gestión se fundamenta en la participación (Amati, 2013;Prabhakaran, Nahir & Ramachandran, 2014), empoderamiento (Mayaka, Lacey & Rogerson 2020;Pigg, 2002) capital social (Devine & Quinn, 2019;Paveglio et al, 2016), beneficios económicos, gestión de bienes (Kontogeorgopoulo, Churyen & Duangsaeng 2014;Milano & Gascón, 2018;Salazar, 2012). Así mismo, Kontogeorgopoulos et al, (2014) demostró que hay otros componentes importantes en el turismo comuntiario que son poco mencionados como por ejemplo formas de reconocer el respeto a las estructuras socioeconómicas y ambientales locales, y en los última década, la resiliencia de la comunidad a través del turismo comunitario para contribuir al desarrollo sostenible (Espeso-Molinero & Pastor-Alfonso, 2020; Ruiz-Ballesteros & del Campo Tejedor, 2020).…”