儿童参与、城市社区与社会资本

在中国,长期以来儿童一直被作为弱势群体而被排除在社区参与之外。实际上,儿童参与对于整个社区的发展有着不可忽视的作用。面对中国城市社区各阶层成人参与率低、社区内社会资本没有充分被调动的情况,本文试图探讨通过社区“儿童参与”来带动“成人参与”进而形成整个社区的社会资本这一社区发展模式。     

Social capital and children's wellbeing: a critical synthesis of the international social capital literature

Drawing on social capital literature from the international realm, this article presents a critical synthesis of this social resource in relation to children's and youth's wellbeing. Although considerable evidence indicates that social capital can have a positive impact on future outcomes for children and youth, no prior comprehensive review exists of the literature on social capital and children's wellbeing. Adopting the systematic review method (SR), the author explores how social capital has been conceptualised and operationalised as an explanatory variable in research on individual and collective wellbeing with children and youth. Oft-cited indicators of family social capital and community social capital are identified, together with common control variables, such as human and financial capital. The author concludes by examining several social capital trends in relation to children's wellbeing and offering recommendations for future research using a social capital theoretical framework to explore additional outcomes related to children's and youth's wellbeing.     

Family support, social capital, resilience and adolescent coping

All too often young people are excluded in practice from the general policy and professional consensus that partnership and participation should underpin work with children, young people and their families. If working with troubled and troublesome young people is to be based on family support, it will require not only the clear statement of that policy but also demonstration that it can be applied in practice. Achieving that involves setting out a plausible theory of change that can be rigorously evaluated. This paper suggests a conceptual model that draws on social support theory to harness the ideas of social capital and resilience in a way that can link formal family support interventions to adolescent coping. Research with young people attending three community‐based projects for marginalized youth is used to illustrate how validated tools can be used to measure and document the detail of support, resilience, social capital and coping in young people's lives. It is also suggested that there is sufficient fit between the findings emerging from the study and the model to justify the model being more rigorously tested.     

The relationship between non-marital fathers' social networks and social capital and father involvement

Literature and research examining father involvement has focused primarily on outcomes associated with the well-being and development of children. Receiving limited attention in this literature has been the examination of the contextual factors associated with fathers and how these factors shape fathers' involvement with their young children. Addressing this limitation, this study focuses on the intra- and interdependent networks non-marital fathers maintain and utilize in fulfilling their parental responsibilities of father involvement. Results of the regression models indicate that non-marital fathers' relationship with their former spouse or partner and involvement with informal networks is positively associated with their involvement with young children. Policy and practice implications are discussed.     

网络与社会资本的经济学分析框架

随着信息密集度技术在产业结构的演进中扮演着越来越重要的角色 ,网络作为数目有限的企业所形成的一种与专业化有关的柔性组织 ,它通过网络内成员间的长期协作以及惩罚机制形成信任 ,从而可以分散专业化的风险。因此 ,网络是一种通过协作使创新分散化的装置 ,网络主体间的互动关系是一种可以产生信任的合作装置 ,也是技术进步的重要源泉。网络对个人行为的影响在社会资本理论中得到充分的体现。社会资本理论认为 ,个人关系及其社会关系网络对产生信任、建立期望、规范行为有着重要的影响 ,个人可以利用周围的社会关系实现其目标。作为研究企业和组织理论的新的分析框架的网络经济学及其网络所蕴涵的社会资本分析范式对于当前中国经济学的发展与创新有着重要的意义。     

Social centrality and aggressive behavior in the elementary school: Gender segregation,social structure,and psychological factors

In this paper, we build on key findings in the sociological literature regarding different patterns of association between social centrality and overt aggressive behavior in the context of same‐and‐cross gender social interactions. We explore these associations in a population of urban elementary school students ( = 8.62, SD = 0.69, N = 848), while addressing claims that the role of psychological factors is overstated in this literature. Our results indicate that, on average, social centrality is positively associated with aggressive behavior for boys, but negatively for girls. We also find a moderating effect indicating that the proportion of male peers with whom participants are reported to hang around, as well as their own gender play a role in the association between social centrality and aggression. These findings are discussed in the context of an ecological perspective on human development in which interactions among individuals, their social groups, and key environments are viewed as central to shaping developmental pathways.     

Social capital and health at the country level

This study examines the relationship between social capital and health. We use various estimation methods such as pooled OLS, a split-sample approach, a quadratic regression, and fixed effects model to investigate country-level unbalanced panel data of 194 countries for the time period 1990–2015. The results support the negative effect of bonding social capital and the positive effect of bridging social capital on health. The effects are more pronounced in low income countries. The first contribution of the paper is to better explain the mixed results of previous studies by focusing on the distinction between the two types of social capital. The second contribution of the paper is to address endogeneity and nonlinearity problems and to capture dynamic change by using various econometric methods. The findings imply that the socio-economic effects of social capital are different depending on the type of social capital.     

The vexed link between social capital and social mobility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Overcoming the socio‐economic disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non‐Indigenous Australians is a long‐standing social policy objective: one largely shared by Indigenous people. Achievement will require Indigenous individuals and households to be socially mobile, a process integrally involved with social capital, existing and requisite. The lack of research on Indigenous social mobility or its attendant social capital connections is addressed in this paper through an exploratory analysis of this interaction across three dimensions: distinctive patterns of Indigenous social capital; the transferability of Indigenous social capital; and traversing the social capital divide. The implications drawn, while tentative, indicate that for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the intersection of the processes of social mobility and social capital is vexed, and contains hazards and costs not fully shared by socially mobile non‐Indigenous households. The Indigenous‐specific factors of a gendered professional class, the identity–social capital link, and Indigenous labour market circumstances all indicate that more research and a more nuanced understanding of Indigenous social mobility is necessary. Social policy recommendations include broadening the concept of cultural leave to include bonding social capital obligations, especially for women, and re‐evaluation of how to support Indigenous career trajectories and transferable skill sets.     

Young families migrating to non‐metropolitan areas: Are they at increased risk of social exclusion?

Over the past three decades, thousands of young families have moved from large cities to non‐metropolitan areas of Australia. Various policies, particularly housing policies, have played a significant role in this trend. Despite the various impetuses towards relocation, little is known about how young families fare once they have relocated to non‐metropolitan areas. In this paper we draw on a study about families relocating to three distinct non‐metropolitan areas. From our qualitative analysis of the observations of service providers in education, health, and community support services, we present a model of how relocation to non‐metropolitan areas can contribute to the increased vulnerability of some young families to social exclusion. We discuss some ways in which policy makers can intervene to reduce this risk for young families at each phase of the relocation process.     

Caring and the generation of social capital: Two models for a positive relationship

Johansson S, Leonard R, Noonan K. Caring and the generation of social capital: two models for a positive relationship When caring is linked to social capital, it is generally assumed that the nature of the relationship is that social capital is a resource that can be used for care work. When there is inadequate funding of aged care services by the state, then social capital may be seen as a substitute for economic and human capital. Caring, therefore, is seen as a drain on capital. However, this does not have to be the case. Aged care services, if thoughtfully designed, can not only consume social capital, but also generate it. Two models of elder care, one Swedish and one Australian, have been identified which specifically address the generation of social capital. In each case, the services and facilities have been developed by third‐sector organisations with a strong community development focus, often in the face of resistance from state‐run or medically oriented services.     

Moderation effect of social capital on flourishing among left-behind and other children in rural China

ABSTRACT

This study examines the ways that social capital sustains flourishing among rural Chinese children, including left-behind children (LBC). Social capital combines structural, substantive, and functional components. Data came from a survey of 995 children in rural areas of China. Results show that LBC experienced significantly lower flourishing and social capital than did other children. In addition, background factors including caretakers’ education and parental marital status had great positive effects on flourishing. Furthermore, the interaction effect of social capital and parental marital status was significantly positive on flourishing. The findings imply the need to boost social capital and flourishing in LBC. Meanwhile, maintaining parental marriage is important for boosting flourishing.     

社会资本在社会发展中的作用——兼论韩国新村运动提高社会资本的实践与思考

目前,社会资本被认为是世界经济发展的关键因素。它已被广泛用来解释具有相同或相似的物质资本与人力资本的国家或地区经济发展差异和项目绩效差异的原因。然而,它在社会发展中的作用,也日益凸现出来。社会资本在社会发展中的作用主要表现在克服集体行动的困境、提高公共政策效率、促进政府治理绩效和有利于和谐社会建构四个方面。韩国的新村运动之所以能比以前其他类似的运动取得比较成功的绩效,主要在于政府采取多种措施提高和重建社会资本的结果。中国的新农村建设要想取得满意的成效,也不应忽视在提高和重建社会资本方面多下工夫。     

Environmental activation of citizens in the context of policy agenda formation and the influence of social capital

Citizens activation for environmental issues is a significant parameter for the resolution of environmental problems. The present article analyzes the influence of social factors, connected with social capital literature, on environmental activation. In particular, social capital is defined as a multi-dimensional concept consisting of several structural and cognitive elements. Through a theoretical analysis, the main links between social capital components and environmental activation are underlined. Furthermore, the results of an empirical survey are presented highlighting that several elements of social capital are positively connected with environmental activation along with issues of linking social capital.     

Future expectations of young people leaving youth care in Flanders: the role of personal and social capital in coping with expected challenges

What do young people leaving youth care think about their future? How do they view their transition between youth care and adulthood? These questions were answered by 71 young people leaving youth care in Flanders. The analysis of the interviews showed that three groups of young people can be distinguished when it comes to their expectations regarding the transition: those with positive future expectations that do not expect any difficulties during their transition, those with positive future expectations expecting difficulties that will eventually pass, and those with negative future expectations, who do not expect their transition difficulties will pass. Most respondents think the future is looking bright, because they are about to graduate or have graduated, and/or because they are intrinsically motivated to deal with their anticipated transition difficulties. Young people with negative future expectations do not stress their intrinsic motivation. Some of them think a (future) partner and their parents will be able to support them through their difficulties; they do not consider professional support as helpful, however.     

Gender Identity Disorder,the Gender Binary,and Transgender Oppression: Implications for Ethical Social Work

This article argues that social workers are ethically obligated to serve as allies of transgender and gender-nonconforming communities and, thus, should critically examine the diagnosis of gender identity disorder and the oppression inherent in pathologizing gender nonconformity. Social workers should also consider the oppression inherent in the socially constructed gender binary that is the root of the perceived psychosis in gender nonconformance and should fight against this oppression and, therefore, against that binary. This article proposes several action steps that social workers can take to advocate for the transgender and gender-nonconforming communities.     

Threats,chances and opportunities: social capital in Europe in times of social and economic hardship

The 2008 financial and economic crisis, characterized by an economic breakdown unparalleled since the Great Depression, provides a unique opportunity to study the relationships between economic developments and social capital by asking: How does social capital change in times of social and economic hardship? In order to explore the trends of social capital development, data from the European Social Survey 2002–2016 are used. The results suggest that economic decline – particularly increasing unemployment – is associated with a decline in social capital, especially in southern European countries. Furthermore, increasing long-term interest rates as an indicator of government future debt sustainability appear to be detrimental for social capital development. The impact of economic decline, however, appears to be contingent upon the functioning of state institutions: especially in countries characterized by well-functioning governments social capital is significantly less affected by economic decline than other countries.     

Explaining political trust among African Americans: Examining demographic, media, and social capital and social networks effects

African Americans routinely have lower levels of political trust compared with whites. Explanations of their political trust remain rather unexamined. Using data taken from the 1996 National Black Election Study, this analysis examines three models to test how demographic characteristics, the media, and social capital and social networks influence political trust among African Americans. The results show modest support for the models. However, social location as measured by demographic characteristics is most important for explaining the political trust of African Americans.     

Gender Identity and Social Services: Barriers to Care

ABSTRACT

Transgender people seek social services for a variety of reasons. This literature review highlights needs assessments and social science research articles (N = 30) from the last 16 years that demonstrate the many ways in which social services are further revictimizing transgender people. Studies indicate that transgender people often encounter ignorance, hostility, and transphobic environments while attempting to access social services, and these environments can dissuade transgender people from gaining needed care. Suggestions are made to address these inequalities and include simple measures that social service agencies can begin with to make their services more transinclusive. Future research should address the bias in social services more directly and also develop a clear plan of action and best practices to help agencies remove discrimination from social service settings.     

Social capital and its relevance to the Japanese-model welfare society

Current debates and initiatives relating to the welfare regime in Japan focus on the contributions of informal and community networks. In this article, we adopt the concept of social capital, which is assessed according to three categories – structural social capital, experiential individual social capital and anticipatory individual social capital – in order to evaluate the assumptions and strengths of community in Japan. The findings are based on a small-scale survey conducted in the Greater Kobe area in 2002. The study revealed that the level of structural social capital is 'average' and the level of experiential individual social capital is 'rather low'. However, the anticipatory individual social capital, which is the expectation of future assistance whether conditional or unconditional, is higher than the experiential individual social capital. The findings suggest that, in Japan, people's belief that they will receive assistance in the future has a significant impact on their level of achievement. Such findings may help us understand the nature of the welfare regime in Japan: it depends on a sense of general trust, which effectively supports the informal groups and community networks that provide assistance to their members.     

Conceptualizing Age-Friendly Community Characteristics in a Sample of Urban Elders: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing US Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n?=?1,376), we identified 6 factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: access to business and leisure, social interaction, access to health care, neighborhood problems, social support, and community engagement. Future research should explore the effects of these factors across contexts and populations.