Social Capital
Introduction to Social Capital Social Capital Literature Conceptualisation of Social Capital Social Captial Conclusions Further Research on Social Capital Social Capital References
Evolution of Social Capital
Contemporary Authors on Social Capital
Definition of Social Capital
Capital Debate
Social Captial Theory
Dimensions of Social Capital
Levels of Social Captial
Types of Social Capital
Determinants of Social Capital
Benefits of Social Capital
Downsides of Social Capital
Conceptualisation of Social Capital
Problems with the current conceputalisation of social capital
Social Capital Conceptualisation Approaches
Operationalisation of Social Capital
Measurement of Social Capital
Building Social Capital
Gender Issues and Social Capital
Social Capital and Natural Resource Management
Summary of Social Capital Literature Review

Communitarian Approach to Social Capital Theory

Woolcock and Narayan (2000, p. 229) identified that the communitarian perspective equates social capital with such local organizations as clubs, associations, and civic groups. The communitarian approach was pioneered by Putnam (1993, 1995) and by Fukuyama (1995, 1997). Communitarians, who look at the number and density of these groups in a given community, hold that social capital is inherently good, that more is better, and that its presence always has a positive effect on a community's welfare. This approach assumes that communities are homogenous entities that automatically include and benefit all members and as such do not make the important distinction between productive social capital and perverse social capital. Narayan and Nyamwaya (1996) found evidence from the developing world that demonstrates that high levels of social solidarity or informal groups does not necessarily lead to economic prosperity (cited in Woolcock and Narayan 2000, p. 230).