Social Movements and Social Capital: A Network Perspective on Movement Outcomes

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Diani
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Movements ◽  
Collective Identity ◽  
Mutual Recognition ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Structural Position ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This article presents an approach to the study of the consequences of social movements that focuses on their capacity to produce "social capital." By social capital I mean ties that are based on mutual trust and mutual recognition among the actors involved in the relationship, although they do not necessarily imply the presence of collective identity. The influence of social movements may be regarded as dependent on their structural position, i.e., on the solidity of the linkages within the movement sector as well as—more crucially—of the bonds among movement actors, the social milieu in which they operate, and cultural and political elites. Therefore, the impact of a given movement or movement sector will be assessed in the light of changes in its components' relative centrality in various social networks. The broader the range of social capital ties emerging from a period of sustained mobilization, the greater the impact.

scholarly journals Contribution of Design Indicators in Perception of Social Capital, and Interference of Socio-Demographic Information in the Process

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3589
Author(s):  
Akbar Rahimi ◽  
Mahsa Tarashkar ◽  
Banafshe Jahantab
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Control ◽  
Social Indicators ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Informal Social Control ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effective Contribution

Social capital is the effective contribution of social groups through providing a context for cooperation, sense of identity, and perception of social norms. Urban parks are important components of cities, helps building the social capital within urban societies. This study examines the social capital of important urban parks of Tehran, Iran, using three main criteria: informal social control, social cohesion, and social leverage. A stratified random sample of 330 users were selected and asked to rank the social capital criteria using a questionnaire involving five-point Likert scale questions. The results show mutual relationship between informal social control and social leverage (r = 0.62, α = 0.00), and also inter-relationship between design indicators and perceived social capital. People from lower age group and higher educational level show highest perception of social capital. Perceptual difference were observed between genders. Women experience higher esthetic perception (α = 0.00), security (α = 0.01), and accessibility (α = 0.03). The study, while proving the relationship between social indicators and design features, and the impact of personal characteristics on the perception of social capital, indicates social inequality in citizens’ equal benefit of social capital. Measures must be taken to increase social capital in society and solve the significant lower perceptions of some social capital indicators among specific groups.

The Impact of Social Capital and Institutional Trust on Attitudes Towards Innovation

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-24
Author(s):  
Asiya Bakhtigaraeva ◽  
Viktor Bryzgalin
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Institutional Trust ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Specific Technology

The article examines the impact of social capital and institutional trust on attitudes towards innovation. On a sample of 6077 respondents representing 10 Russian regions, it was found that social capital and institutional trust positively influence the attitude towards technologies in general. The analysis of a specific technology (automated judicial systems) showed that the relationship can also be reversed: the lower the social capital, the more positively the respondents refer to the introduction of new technology. These results may indicate that in conditions of poor institutional environment and in spheres that require high interpersonal and institutional trust, technologies allowing people to go to depersonalized relationships may be accepted, despite the negative attitude towards technologies in general. The findings allow us to take a fresh look at the prospects of introducing breakthrough technologies depending on the socio-cultural and institutional environment and contribute to the development of research on the impact of socio-cultural factors on the economy.

scholarly journals A Meta-Analysis on the Impact of Social Capital on Firm Performance in China’s Transition Economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tu LYU ◽  
Xiangfeng JI
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Transition Economy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
High Tech ◽  
The Social ◽  
Specific Performance ◽  
Market Areas ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

There is almost no research consensus on the influence of social capital on firm performance in China, which motivates our study in this paper. Our research aim here is to identify the effect of contextual and methodological moderators on the relationship between social capital and firm performance in China’s transition economy. Meta-analysis is employed to explore the impact of social capital on firm performance and to identify moderators affecting the relationship based on 106 independent studies between 2008 and 2018. The results demonstrate that the social capital–performance link is positive and significant in China. Particularly, social capital has a stronger positive relationship with performance in high-tech industries or in low-level marketization. Meanwhile, the social capital–performance link depends on the specific performance measures and dimensions. The paper clearly indicates the value of cultivating social capital and reveals that distinct types of social capital are needed at different points in different industries and market areas.

scholarly journals Social media: The new opiate of the masses?

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Emad Khazraee ◽  
Kristene Unsworth
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Movements ◽  
Social Change ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This study argues that the relationship between new information and communication technologies (ICT) and social movements should be done from a socio-technical perspective. In the present study, we broaden this perspective and use Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to better understand the relationship between social media (as a new ICT) and social movements. From the perspective of ANT, one cannot define unidirectional causal relationships between the social and the technical. New technical developments create opportunities to change the social order and in the meantime technologies are transformed and are adapted differently by humans. Preliminary findings examining the use of Facebook among Iranians, applying the aforementioned relational sociology perspective based on ANT, suggest that the role new ICTs play in social movements and social change is not linear and constant through time. The impact of new ICTs might be different considering different stages in a social movement timeline. In fact, there may be a stage where ICTs actually function as a sort of pressurerelease value, allowing individuals to remain content within the status quo rather than choosing to pursue more radical goals. We propose the utilization of the two concepts of “durability” and “mobility”, from ANT literature, to better understand the potential of online social networking technologies for social change. We suggest three different time stages as short (emergence of movements), mid (development or decline of movements), and late stage (the movement’s continuation, survival or disappearance through time) to be considered in the study of relationship between social media and social change.

Social comparison orientation and mental health: The mediating role of psychological capital

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoliang Yang ◽  
Zhihua Wang ◽  
Weijiong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Little is known about the relationship between social comparison orientation and mental health, especially in the psychological capital context. We proposed a theoretical model to examine the impact of ability- and opinion-based social comparison orientation on mental health using data from 304 undergraduates. We also examined the mediating effect of the four psychological capital components of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism in the relationship between social comparison orientation and mental health. Results show that an ability (vs. opinion) social comparison orientation was negatively (vs. positively) related to the psychological capital components. Further, the resilience and optimism components of psychological capital fully mediated the social comparison orientation–mental health relationship. Our findings indicate that psychological capital should be considered in the promotion of mental health, and that the two social comparison orientation types have opposite effects on psychological capital.

scholarly journals Governance Effectiveness: The Interaction of Ethno-Racial Diversity and Social Capital

2021 ◽  
pp. 089976402097769
Author(s):  
Christopher Fredette ◽  
Ruth Sessler Bernstein
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Racial Diversity ◽  
Complex Activity ◽  
Board Diversity ◽  
The Social ◽  
Governance Effectiveness ◽  
Group Compositions ◽  
The Relationship

This research examines the relationship among Board Diversity, Social Capital, and Governance Effectiveness by asking, “does board ethno-racial diversity moderate the relationship between Social Capital and Governance Effectiveness, and if so, how?” Exploring the direct and interacting effects of demographic diversity and Social Capital, and their relation to governing-group effectiveness using a two-sample field survey design, we illustrate whether heterogeneous or homogeneous group compositions amplify or attenuate Governance Effectiveness, and to what degree. Primary analyses find no support for Board Diversity moderating the Social Capital-Governance Effectiveness relationship, with secondary analysis revealing a more complex interaction for Governance Effectiveness, albeit inconsistently, across samples. Our investigation points to the value of social resources in understanding governance as an inherently socially complex activity or capability, predicated on truce or mutual agreement and shaped by the composition and connections of boards.

scholarly journals The Perceived Impact of Social Networking Sites and Apps on the Social Capital of Saudi Postgraduate Students: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Abdulelah A. Alghamdi ◽  
Margaret Plunkett
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Civic Participation ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

With the increased use of Social Networking Sites and Apps (SNSAs) in Saudi Arabia, it is important to consider the impact of this on the social lives of tertiary students, who are heavy users of such technology. A mixed methods study exploring the effect of SNSAs use on the social capital of Saudi postgraduate students was conducted using a multidimensional construct of social capital, which included the components of life satisfaction, social trust, civic participation, and political engagement. Data were collected through surveys and interviews involving 313 male and 293 female postgraduate students from Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) in Makkah. Findings show that male and female participants perceived SNSAs use impacting all components of social capital at a moderate and mainly positive level. Correlational analysis demonstrated medium to large positive correlations among components of social capital. Gender differences were not evident in the life satisfaction and social trust components; however, females reported more involvement with SNSAs for the purposes of political engagement while males reported more use for civic participation, which is an interesting finding, in light of the norms and traditional culture of Saudi society.

scholarly journals Effect of Train-Induced Wind on the Transmission of COVID-19: A New Insight into Potential Infectious Risks

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8164
Author(s):  
Simin Zou ◽  
Xuhui He
Keyword(s):  
Social Distance ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Passenger Safety ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gaussian Puff ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Fresh Insight ◽  
Moving Train

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has caused a traffic tie-up across the world. In addition to home quarantine orders and travel bans, the social distance guideline of about six feet was enacted to reduce the risk of contagion. However, with recent life gradually returning to normal, the crisis is not over. In this research, a moving train test and a Gaussian puff model were employed to investigate the impact of wind raised by a train running on the transmission and dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 from infected individuals. Our findings suggest that the 2 m social distance guideline may not be enough; under train-induced wind action, human respiratory disease-carrier droplets may travel to unexpected places. However, there are deficiencies in passenger safety guidelines and it is necessary to improve the quantitative research in the relationship between train-induced wind and virus transmission. All these findings could provide a fresh insight to contain the spread of COVID-19 and provide a basis for preventing and controlling the pandemic virus, and probe into strategies for control of the disease in the future.

The role of public libraries in the development of social capital in local communities – a theoretical study

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-196
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSocial capital, understood as intangible community values available through a network of connections, is a factor in the development of societies and improving quality of life. It helps to remove economic inequalities and prevent poverty and social exclusion, stimulate social and regional development, civic attitudes and social engagement and build a civic society as well as local and regional identity. Many of these tasks may be implemented by libraries, which, apart from providing access to information, may also offer a number of services associated with social needs. The purpose of this paper is to present the roles and functions that libraries may serve in local communities in terms of assistance, integration and development based on classical social capital theories.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the classical concepts of social capital in the context of libraries. It analyses the findings of Pierre-Félix Bourdieu, James Coleman, Francis Fukuyama, Robert Putnam, Nan Lin, Ronald Stuart Burt, Wayne Baker and Alejandro Portes. Based on their respective concepts, the paper analyses the role of the contemporary library in the social life of local communities. In particular, it focuses on the possible new functions that public libraries may serve.FindingsA critical review of the concept of social capital revealed certain dependencies between libraries and their neighbourhoods. With new services that respond to the actual social needs, libraries may serve as a keystone, namely they may integrate, animate and engage local communities. This, however, requires a certain approach to be adopted by the personnel and governing authorities as well as infrastructure and tangible resources.Originality/valueThe social engagement of libraries is usually described from the practical perspective (reports on the services provided) or in the context of research on the impact of respective projects on specific groups of users (research reports). A broader approach, based on original social theories, is rarely encountered. The paper draws on classical concepts of social capital and is a contribution to the discussion on possible uses of those concepts based on an analysis of the role of libraries in social life and in strengthening the social capital of local communities.

Mutual (Dis-)trust in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice?

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-28
Author(s):  
Kathrin Hamenstädt
Keyword(s):  
Mutual Recognition ◽  
Vertical Dimension ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Mutual Exclusivity ◽  
Member States ◽  
Horizontal Dimension ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Relationship

Mutual trust constitutes the foundation of the principle of mutual recognition, which in turn embodies a cornerstone of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ). This contribution explores the development of the relationship between trust and distrust in two mutual recognition regimes of the AFSJ. It bases on the premise that trust and distrust are inextricably linked, and that their relationship should not be perceived as one of mutual exclusivity or contradiction. The analysis addresses exceptions to mutual recognition, which are often perceived as manifestations of distrust, and examines their potential impact on mutual trust. It is submitted that exceptions to mutual recognition are necessary requirements for building and maintaining trust in the AFSJ and that they constitute an adaptation of the principle of mutual recognition to the particularities of the AFSJ. Next to the horizontal dimension of trust (i.e., trust among Member States) the analysis adds a new perspective by highlighting the importance of the vertical dimension of trust.

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