What is Social Capital? A Study of Interaction in a Rural Community

Abstract

What is social capital? In answering this question, the paper reports on new research which differentiates between social interaction processes and social capital as the product of those processes. Following a review of literature, structured as a social theory against which social capital might be understood, the paper then describes a study of a rural community, and reports on two analyses of data which contribute to answering the question, ‘What is the nature of the interactive productivity between the local networks in a community?’ The paper concludes that social capital, for which a new definition is forwarded, can only 'exist' if it is somehow able to be produced. This is the chief assumption of the paper. Social capital is defined as an accumulation of the knowledge and identity resources drawn on by communities‐of‐common‐purpose. If social capital originates in micro interactions which are in turn embedded in a meso and macro social order, then these processes and connections should be observable. This paper makes an initial contribution to the establishment of such micro, mesa and macro links.

Learning in agriculture: building social capital in island communities

“…The 'bonding' and 'bridging' ties identified in the social capital literature enable sharing of skills, knowledge and resources within the group while at the same time accessing outside resources. Social ca pacity is greater where people are willing and able to work together for mutual benefit, which means they have sufficient confidence, appropriate norms and interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution (Falk & Kilpatrick, 2000).…”

“…We now explain the Centre for Research and Learning in Regional Australia (CRLRA) social capital model, which has been derived from extensive research (Falk & Kilpatrick, 2000). There are two stages to the model.…”

“…The two are ne cessarily interrelated, demanding examination of the micro level of interactions between individuals within a community. CRLRA has examined the learning processes that build and use social capital in interactions in agriculture (Kilpatrick & Bell, 1998;Ki lpatrick, Bell & Falk, 1999), and rural communities more generally (Falk & Kilpatrick, 2000).…”

“…The knowledge resources of a community include knowledge of: the skills, knowledge and affective attributes includin g values of others in the community; and the common physical resources of the community, formal and informal networks, procedures, rules and precedents, internal and external resources and sources of information (Falk & Kilpatrick, 2000).…”

Capital assets and intercultural borderlands: socio-cultural challenges for natural resource management

“…This suggestion has considerable merit in relation to intergenerational mentoring (Rogers and Taylor, 1997), a process which widens and deepens the common grounds between the ages. Indeed its worth is emphasized in the literature on social capital in which generalized trust, reciprocity, and diversity in groups, associations and communities are seen as critical to sustainability (Putnam et al, 1993;Flora, et al, 1997;Stolle and Rochon, 1998;Adler and Kwon, 1999;Falk and Kilpatrick, 2000;C. B. Flora, 2000;J.…”