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It May be Social, But Why is it Capital? The Social Construction of Social Capital and the Politics of Language

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  • STEPHEN SAMUEL SMITH
  • JESSICA KULYNYCH

Abstract

Although the referents of the term social capital merit sustained inquiry, the term impedes understanding because of the historical association of the word capital with economic discourse. As a result of this association, applying the term social capital to civic engagement blurs crucial analytic distinctions. Moreover, there are important ideological consequences to considering things such as bowling leagues to be a form of capital and urging citizens to become social capitalists. The term social capacity, the authors argue, provides the same heuristic benefits as the term social capital without extending illusory promises of theoretical parsimony with the financial/human/social capital trinity .

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Samuel Smith & Jessica Kulynych, 2002. "It May be Social, But Why is it Capital? The Social Construction of Social Capital and the Politics of Language," Politics & Society, , vol. 30(1), pages 149-186, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:polsoc:v:30:y:2002:i:1:p:149-186
    DOI: 10.1177/0032329202030001006
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Giada Marchi & Giulia Lucertini & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2016. "From evidence-based policy making to policy analytics," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 236(1), pages 15-38, January.
    2. Giada Marchi & Giulia Lucertini & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2016. "From evidence-based policy making to policy analytics," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 236(1), pages 15-38, January.
    3. Akcomak, Semih, 2009. "Bridges in social capital: A review of the definitions and the social capital of social capital researchers," MERIT Working Papers 2009-002, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    4. Donald W. Light, 2007. "Toward an Economic Sociology of Compassionate Charity and Care," Working Papers 331, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Migration and Development..
    5. Christian Bjørnskov & Kim Sønderskov, 2013. "Is Social Capital a Good Concept?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1225-1242, December.
    6. Gerard Ferrer-Esteban & Mauro Mediavilla, 2017. "The more educated, the more engaged? An analysis of social capital and education," Working Papers 2017/13, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    7. Jarl Kampen, 2010. "On the (In)Consistency of Citizen and Municipal Level Indicators of Social Capital and Local Government Performance," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 213-228, June.
    8. Giada de Marchi & Giulia Lucertini & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2012. "From Evidence-Based Policy-Making to Policy Analytics," Working Papers hal-00875488, HAL.
    9. Gila Menahem & Gideon Doron & David Itzhak Haim, 2011. "Bonding and Bridging Associational Social Capital and the Financial Performance of Local Authorities in Israel," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(5), pages 659-681, June.
    10. Chung, Kee Hoon & Shim, Dong Chul & Park, Hyun Hee, 2024. "Revisiting theory of social capital: Can the internet make a difference?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    11. Fragkandreas, Thanos & Larsen, Karin, 2009. "Social Capital and Economic Performance: some lessons from Farm Partnerships in Sweden," MPRA Paper 17916, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Alare, Rahinatu S. & Lawson, Elaine T. & Mensah, Adelina & Yevide, Armand & Adiku, Prosper, 2022. "Assessing nuanced social networks and its implication for climate change adaptation in northwestern Ghana," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    13. Ben Fine & Costas Lapavitsas, 2004. "Social Capital And Capitalist Economies," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 2(1), pages 17-34.
    14. Sibel Kusimba, 2020. "Embodied value: Wealth‐in‐people," Economic Anthropology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(2), pages 166-175, June.
    15. Nagamani Subramanian & M. Suresh, 2022. "Social Sustainability Factors Influencing the Implementation of Sustainable HRM in Manufacturing SMEs," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 469-507, December.
    16. Peter R Wilshusen, 2009. "Shades of Social Capital: Elite Persistence and the Everyday Politics of Community Forestry in Southeastern Mexico," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(2), pages 389-406, February.
    17. Abdulmuttalip Pilatin & Hasan Ayaydın, 2022. "Social Capital Measurement in Turkiye: Creating an Index by Province," Journal of Economy Culture and Society, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 66(66), pages 235-259, December.
    18. Anna Modzelewska & Sebastian Skuza & Marta Szeluga-Romańska & Marta Materska-Samek, 2020. "Towards Greater Citizen Participation in Financing Public Cultural Institutions—Legal Barriers and Proposed Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-25, September.
    19. repec:pri:cmgdev:wp0702 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Rojas, Yerko & Carlson, Per, 2006. "The stratification of social capital and its consequences for self-rated health in Taganrog, Russia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 2732-2741, June.

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