Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: This article reflects on the literature and theoretical frameworks regarding social \ncapital, the positioning of social capital in state and society relations and their \ncontribution to socio-economic development. The argument presented here is \nthat socio-economic development does not take place in a political vacuum and \nthe success or failure of development initiatives – including achieving socioeconomic \ndevelopment and reducing poverty – is often reflected in the extent to \nwhich the peculiarities of a particular political system, power relations and social \nrelationships are acknowledged and accommodated. Although grounded in Political \nScience, Political Economy and Political Development, the debate and theoretical \ndevelopment in these fields are still evolving, and the debate regarding the role of \nsocial capital is still ongoing. The article emphasises the role and character of social \ncapital in providing the necessary links and relationships among individuals, groups \nand state and society to enhance the socio-economic development outcomes. It \nalso reflects on some of the initiatives such as the World Bank’s Social Capital \nInitiative and empirical evidence of the contribution of social capital in achieving \nsocio-economic development.
Authors: Julian F. Müller, Tania Coetzee
Language: English
Topic: Social Capital and Networks
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2556490549