The article calls for contextualizing inter-racial trust by examining the dynamics of the phenomenon with different community settings. It looks at the proposition that under varying community conditions, different forms of social capital might be transferable to inter-racial trust. A qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and a cluster analysis on the Community Quotient matrix are performed in order to create a taxonomy of distinct social capital contexts that can be used to identify off the line cases.
How do levels of trust--an important determinant of social capital--of the Migrant Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) population in Idaho compare with levels of trust among Latinos nationally? Do MSFWs in Idaho have higher levels of trust towards other Latinos than they do of whites in the state? These questions are central to an ongoing discussion about the assimilation/incorporation of racial and ethnic groups in the United States. To address these questions, we compare findings from a survey of MSFWs in the state of Idaho in 2002-2003 and four focus groups conducted in May and June 2003. Using the Social Capital Community Benchmark survey as a contextual background, we found that MSFWs in Idaho have even lower levels of trust than Latinos nationally. We also found that MSFWs' levels of trust are low towards whites. Most surprisingly, levels of trust of MSFWs towards other Latinos are equally low. Increasing levels of trust and social capital is critical in this community for achieving greater incorporation, economic development, and improving quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]