Social Capital Accumulation among Puerto Rican Mothers in Urban Neighborhoods

Abstract

Abstract:Social capital provides access to material and personal resources through participation in social networks and other social structures. Social capital may not function equally for all populations, especially those living in residentially segregated urban neighborhoods with increased levels of poverty. This is because inequalities exist in social capital accumulation and are found where disadvantaged socioeconomic groups cluster. Using probabilistic household survey data consisting of 205 Puerto Rican mothers in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2013, this research tests hypotheses regarding the association of social capital accumulation with Puerto Rican mothers' individual, neighborhood, and social network characteristics. Logistic regression results suggested that Puerto Rican mothers who were employed and lived in neighborhoods with other Latinos were more likely to accumulate social capital. In addition, mothers who participated in activities of their children also had increased social capital accumulation. This neighborhood effect on social capital accumulation may promote bonding social capital but not bridging social capital among these Puerto Rican mothers.

Getting by in New York City: Bonding, Bridging and Linking Capital in Poverty–Impacted Neighborhoods

“…The accumulation of bonding social capital among participants was facilitated by developing informal bonds through existing formal ones. As in Granberry and Torres’ () study, participants developed ties with their neighbors through children's school activities, while assisting elderly people or joining tenant patrol to increase security. Due to lack of sense of safety in the neighborhood and low levels of trust toward their neighbors, participants of this study had, however, few relations with their neighbors and therefore did not organize themselves.…”

“…According to the existing literature, accumulation of social capital and developing its leveraging functions can take place through collective actions within a community and through utilizing neighborhood resources (Briggs ; Cleaver ; Collier ; Dominguez ; Foster et al. ; Granberry and Torres ; Lin ; Narayan‐Parker ). The accumulation of bonding social capital among participants was facilitated by developing informal bonds through existing formal ones.…”

“…Such relations were found throughout employment in economically advantaged contexts and heterogeneous local ties, where women shared information. Similarly, Granberry and Torres (2017), using a case of Puerto Rican mothers, showed that those of them who were employed were more likely to accumulate social capital. Participants of our study had, however, access neither to employment, nor to the local heterogeneous networks.…”

“…Such networks can exist in a heterogeneous employment environment. Also, Granberry and Torres (2017) found that social interactions in an employment environment are associated with accumulating social capital. In their study of Puerto Rican mothers in Springfield, Massachusetts, the authors found that employment and participation in activities of their children increased social capital accumulation.…”

Cinco Minutos Solamente: Using Interviewer’s Social Capital to Increase Latino Community Survey Response Rates

“…Many social conditions in Latino neighborhoods suggest that individuals living there lack social capital, but upon deeper investigation, social structures exist to promote social capital (Small 2004). For example, specific cultural structures (e.g., shared ideology, norms, values, and practices) in Puerto Rican neighborhoods create a context that holds promise for research design incorporating social capital to highlight the research’s salience (Granberry and Torres 2017; Torres 1998). Latinos accumulate social capital through participation in neighborhood structures (Granberry 2014; Granberry and Marcelli 2007), and neighborhood relationships may be key for promoting research participation.…”