Social capital: a brief background
In the last two decades, the concept of social capital has filtered into the field of development practice. No one single definition captures what is meant by social capital – some describe social capital as being about the resources (both actual and virtual) that are associated with individuals and groups. It can also however be viewed as the network of connections or processes that exist among individuals and communities that makes it possible for them to develop mutually beneficial collective action. It is this notion of ‘connection’, and how important these connections are in lifting communities out of poverty and sparking public innovation, that is the focus of this learning brief. Read more…
