Social Capital Topics

Here we highlight some of the most pertinent topics for social capital as it relates to development. Follow the linked titles for more information:

• Crime/violence: Shared values and norms can reduce or keep low the level of community violence. People who have informal relations with their neighbors can look out for each other and ‘police’ their neighborhoods
• Economics & trade: There is increasing evidence that trade at the macro level is influenced by social capital --a common property resource whose value depends on the level of interaction between people.
• Education: Considerable evidence shows that family, community and state involvement in education improves outcomes.
• Environment: "Common property resource management entails cooperation with a view to ensure the sustainability of resources for the benefit of all community members, in the present and in the future."
• Finance: A stable, secure and equitable financial system is a precursor for sustainable growth.
• Health, nutrition & population: Recent research shows that the lower the trust among citizens, the higher the average mortality rate.
• Information technology: ...information technology has the potential to increase social capital – and in particular bridging social capital which connects actors to resources, relationships and information beyond their immediate environment.
• Poverty reduction and economic development: ...development and growth specialists are uncovering the importance of social cohesion for societies to prosper economically and for development to be sustainable.
• Rural development: Social capital is significant because it affects rural people’s capacity to organize for development. Social capital helps groups to perform the following key development tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Urban development: Urban areas, with their anonymity and fast pace, can be unconducive to societal cooperation. Social capital and trust are more difficult to develop and sustain in large groups.
• Water supply & sanitation: Social capital contributes to the sharing of information about sanitation as well as the building of community infrastructure.

Within each topic overview, you will find an introduction to the topic and its relationship with social capital in the context of development. You will also find a link to search our database for abstracts of articles relevant to each topic.

This list is by no means exhaustive, however it is intended to further the knowledge, understanding, and applications of social capital for sustainable social and economic development. We hope that it will be used by World Bank staff, external partners, universities, researchers, institutions, civil society, governments and practitioners interested in social capital.