Social Capital and Development in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

The study of contemporary social capital attempts to build a better understanding of the development as a social base for organizing group resources and networking group members in the pursuit of collective action. This paper traces the evolution of social capital perspective with a focus on its possible contributions to the theory of development and identifies four major approaches: norm and trust, institutional, organizational, and synergy perspective. It challenges the previous perspective by developing an analytical framework that supports the possibility of governance and social capital for development. The main argument here is that it is the special constellation of the level of social capital and the governance which is crucial for the economic and social development of a society. The synergy perspective, when applied to this arena, offers a more comprehensive explanation of social capital by bringing together a range of development that emphasizes the dynamic developmental pathway. The theoretical and policy implications are discussed, based on the comparative specifications of social capital and development.