Social Capital in Development: Bonds, Bridges, and Links in Osa and Golfito, Costa Rica

2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carter A. Hunt ◽  
William H. Durham ◽  
Claire M. Menke
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Rural Development ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Local Residents

Limited social capital poses a critical bottleneck for sustainable rural development. Despite vast investment, development interventions focused on preserving the biodiversity of the Osa and Golfito region of Costa Rica have done little to address poverty or improve the well-being of local residents. The authors of the current study draw upon field research and data gathered from semi-structured interviews with 310 community leaders and rural residents to investigate the bottlenecks to development and how they are related to forms of social capital in the Osa and Golfito cantons in Costa Rica. Specifically, we draw upon the distinction of bonding, bridging, and linking forms of social capital to characterize the nature of benefits from collective action in communities in Osa and Golfito. The data suggest that the lack of bridging and linking forms of social capital may explain the region's persistent development challenges and may thus indicate where development-related investments are most likely to bear fruit.

Enhancing social indicators research in a forest-dependent community

1999 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 771-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Parkins
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Indicators ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Statistical Information ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Measure Change ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Northern Alberta

Forest industry host communities are receiving increased attention from policy makers, academics, and municipal leaders. Recently, this attention is trained on measuring social and economic change at the community level and on identifying and developing avenues to greater community well-being. This paper examines aspects of two common social indicators, employment and migration, in the context of a forest-dependent community in Northern Alberta. By using statistical information along with two other major data sources that include interviews with local residents and a variety of reports from local institutions, specific social changes taking place within the community are described. Readers are cautioned against relying solely on statistical information to measure change and are encouraged to triangulate data with local sources. Such efforts may be more time consuming but the results are likely to provide more important insights into how and why certain communities are prospering while others are struggling. The paper concludes with a discussion of social capital as a crucial dimension of community well-being. Key words: forest-dependent communities, social indicators, employment, migration, mobility, community well-being, social capital

scholarly journals Understanding Social Capital, Networks & Institutions: A Guide to Support Compost Entrepreneurship for Rural Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Timothy Robert Silberg ◽  
Maria Claudia Lopez ◽  
Robert B. Richardson ◽  
Theresa Pesl Murphrey ◽  
Gary Wingenbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Rural Economies ◽  
Result Management

Compost micro-entrepreneurship has been used as strategy to increase the incomes of poor and rural farming communities. Nevertheless, several difficulties can arise to sustain these small businesses. The conversion of organic material into compost requires labor, tools and infrastructure. Many poor and rural microenterprises cannot afford all of these inputs to sustain operations. Literature suggests that social capital and collective action can address challenges related to limited resources for communities and small businesses. Little research, however, has explored how coworker characteristics and their cooperative efforts affect the financial sustainability of compost micro-enterprises. The objective of this study was to unveil whether rural compost microenterprises use social capital and/or collective action to address various challenges related to natural and financial capital, and if so, in what manner. A multisite case study framework was implemented using participant observation to identify common challenges faced by compost microenterprises in Chimaltenanago, Guatemala. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine if coworker characteristics (related to social capital) addressed these challenges, and if so, how. Four characteristics related to social capital emerged from a thematic analysis, including 1) raw material access based on coworker occupation, 2) overhead savings from human capital, 3) credit/market-entry granted from social networks, and 4) consumer trust gained from social capital/gender. It appears the investigation and development of compost microenterprises should be more cognizant of opportunities related to coworker characteristics, especially those related to social capital and collective action. As a result, management training can be integrated within entrepreneurship development to sustain urban and rural economies.

Post-disaster recovery through the evolution of the lakou, a traditional settlement pattern

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Patrick Miller
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Settlement Patterns ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Settlement Pattern ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose Historically, post-disaster reconstruction policies and practice ignore the embedded knowledge of the affected population; the process following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti followed this trend. This paper aims to examine the production of social space in self-settled post-disaster settlements in Leogane and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the paper demonstrates the role that traditional settlement patterns played in the production of social capital. Design/methodology/approach A multi-sited case study approach was implemented to uncover the patterns of the lakou, which is a primary Haitian, traditional settlement pattern reflecting the familial social structure, present in self-settled post-disaster settlements. The study took place between February and June of 2012, two years after the 2010 earthquake across settlements in Leogane and Port-au-Prince. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 inhabitants across the settlements to uncover meanings attached to the creation of space. Together with behavior mapping and participant observations, the interviews were analyzed to validate the reproduction of the lakou. Findings This paper demonstrates that endogenous inhabitants create the lakou in post-disaster settlements in Haiti. This case study validates the resilience of the lakou, the inclusive nature of the lakou system, and the important role it plays in the production of social capital within post-disaster communities. Originality/value This study demonstrates the importance of traditional settlement patterns in post-disaster community well-being and it demonstrates the need to incorporate traditional settlement patterns into post-disaster planning strategies. Furthermore, the study validates that traditional settlement patterns support the production of social capital within a community.

scholarly journals Challenges and Supports to Aging in Place in a Gentrifying Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 873-873
Author(s):  
Manish Kumar ◽  
Laura Richman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Neighborhood Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Age In Place

Abstract Neighborhoods play a central role in healthy aging, with changes to neighborhoods having a profound impact on older adults’ ability to age in place. Using gentrification as an indicator of neighborhood change and applying the theoretical framework of the Environmental Press model (Lawton and Nahemow, 1973), this study examined the relationship between changing environments, affordable housing, and environmental attributes that support and hinder the health and well-being of older adults. A qualitative, case-study approach was used to interview low-income, majority Black older adults in a gentrifying area of Washington DC. 32 individuals (16 in non-profit and 16 in for-profit affordable housing) aged 55 and older participated in semi-structured interviews on perceptions of gentrification, neighborhood change, and challenges and supports to aging in place. Transcripts were then analyzed using the framework method of analysis. Although participants generally reported that gentrification improved their neighborhood’s built environment, many attributed it to a decline in social capital. Affordable housing provided an ability to age in place, though participants expressed uncertainty over their long-term ability to age in the context of continuing change. These findings suggest that while the physical changes accompanying gentrification may support older adults’ ability to age in place, its detrimental impact on social capital further increases their risk for social isolation. While affordable housing may enable older adults to age in place, fostering a greater sense of permanence and well-being will require additional policies that both increase accessibility to the physical amenities provided by gentrification and preserve older adults’ social capital.

Social Capital and Collective Action in Rural Tourism

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doohyun Hwang ◽  
William P. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Rural Tourism ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Community Leader ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Face To Face

This study extends social capital to specific types of personal relationships that encourage residents’ collective action for rural tourism development. Two communities in South Korea were examined using face-to-face interviews with community leaders, and a structured questionnaire with residents. Five hypotheses that frame tourism development as a coordinated effort of social networks were identified. Findings indicate that the quality of one’s social networks are relevant to the propensity to participate in tourism development. The closer one’s relationship to a community leader of tourism development, the more likely they are to be part of community-based efforts for tourism development. In addition, compared to individualized personal ties among residents, already existing social organizations were critical to enhance collective action of residents. An implication for increased participation in tourism development is for community leaders to reach out and learn from residents who are isolated or less central within community leadership networks.

scholarly journals Honoring Tribal Spirituality in India: An Exploratory Study of Their Beliefs, Rituals and Healing Practices

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 549
Author(s):  
Shannal Rowkith ◽  
Raisuyah Bhagwan
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Tribal Community ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Tribal Communities ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Two Samples

This paper presents an exploration of tribal spirituality in India. The study sought to understand the spiritual worldview of tribal communities in India within the context of a community engagement program between a university in India and a tribal community outside Mumbai. The purpose of the engagement was for students and academics to have a deeper understanding of tribal communities, and to formulate community development interventions that could improve their individual and family well-being. A qualitative research approach was utilized to guide the study. The data was collected from two samples, namely, six social work academics and 23 students. Semi structured interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data from these aforementioned samples following a two-year immersion within this community. The data was analyzed as one dataset using thematic analysis. Three broad themes emerged from the data which focused on the characteristics of tribal communities, tribal spirituality and the healing methodologies used.

scholarly journals Farming Intensification and Environmental Justice in Northern Ireland

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Gladkova
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Northern Irish ◽  
Environmental Decision Making ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Local Residents

Abstract Going for Growth, an industry-led strategy to expand the agri-food sector, was adopted by the Northern Irish government in 2013 in order to encourage farming intensification in Northern Ireland. This approach, however, threatens an already fragile natural environment and has already had detrimental consequences for human health and well-being. This article employs an environmental justice perspective to scrutinize farming intensification in a community affected by this phenomenon. Based on findings from semi-structured interviews with local residents, the article describes their exposure to environmental risks as a result of farming intensification. The uneven distribution of environmental burdens is also coupled with limited opportunities for the local residents to engage in environmental decision-making and to be recognized as active agents of change. The article concludes that farming intensification in Northern Ireland is marked by procedural environmental injustice and should be addressed by downscaling levels of production and reforming decision-making processes.

scholarly journals The Role of Space in the Creation of the Social Capital of Sofia Students Before the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-156
Author(s):  
Lucien Peters
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The paper starts from the notion that the social capital of young persons is an essential part of their well-being and an individual's success in life and society. It presents ethnographic re-search of the role of urban and regional space as one of the factors relevant to the creation of young people’s social capital. The period of research is 2014-2020, until the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic in late February 2020. The principal research method is longitu-dinal ethnographic participant observation in a higher education setting in Sofia, comple-mented by semi-structured interviews and life histories of informants, gathered in informal settings, with members of the post-1980 generations. Informants were aged 19-36, of both genders, and all were known to the enquirer for periods ranging between two and seven years. Their socialization and education took place largely in post-Communist times. The ethno-graphic observation examines the geographical environment of students’ lives, as the space where life takes place is a key factor for the quality of youth people's lives and well-being. Their homes, hometowns, educational institution, leisure pursuits; their potential contacts with other cultures, and other factors which may have emerged during observation, and which may have contributed to the formation of students’ social circles and their attitudes towards civic life, have been examined.

scholarly journals The Importance of the Neighbourhood Environment and Social Capital for Happiness in a Vulnerable District: The Case of the Pajarillos District in Spain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelia Somarriba Arechavala ◽  
Pilar Zarzosa Espina ◽  
Ana Teresa López Pastor
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Neighbourhood Environment ◽  
Individual Health ◽  
Demographic Traits ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
The Individual

AbstractThe characteristics of neighbourhoods, their physical and social environment, have been shown to have profound effects on the individual well-being and happiness of their residents. In an effort to help design policies and action plans that enhance well-being in the district, our study seeks to understand how happiness levels among residents in a low-income neighbourhood in Spain are linked to their socio-demographic traits, individual health, relationships with the area, and community, as well as with the physical environment of the neighbourhood. The study is part of a project called "Educa-Pajarillos Sostenible". The project aims to improve the quality of life of the area’s citizens by carrying out a series of actions. One of these actions is an eco-social map of happiness, which involves designing and applying a survey and which serves as a source of analysis for our research. An Ordered Choice Logit econometric model was applied to measure the effect of the happiness of demographic, neighbourhood environment, social capital, and socio-demographic characteristics. Results confirm the importance of variables related to the neighbourhood’s social capital and physical environment as key elements in local residents’ happiness. The findings also indicate that traditional indicators used to measure well-being, such as education or difficulty making ends meet, are not significant.

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