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On Social Poverty: Human Development and the Distribution of Social Capital.
- Source :
- Journal of Poverty; 2008, Vol. 12 Issue 1, p27-48, 22p
- Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Among social scientists, development theorists, and policy makers there is today an emergent consensus about the multidimensional and contextual character of poverty. Working within the framework of such a consensus in this article, I attempt to identify the social dimension of human poverty. Most generally, I try to sketch an account of social poverty as a shared normative (or soft) constraint on human action and interaction. The argument is developed as follows. I begin by summarizing and then using social capital theory to characterize my account of social poverty more fully. Here I distinguish between what I call horizontal social capital (networks of social trust and connections that are accessible and appropriable within a specific socioeconomic or cultural stratum) and vertical social capital (networks of social trust and connections that are accessible and appropriable between and among various socioeconomic and cultural strata). I argue that social poverty is an absence or scarcity of vertical social capital. From there I go on to analyze some of the mechanisms and asymmetrical effects of social poverty in specific empirical contexts. In closing I reflect briefly on how the problem of social poverty has been addressed in the US context. I suggest that reducing social poverty requires both a bottom-up approach towards the creation of vertical social capital and a top-down approach aimed at the diversification of existing stores of horizontal social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10875549
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Poverty
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33251668
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10875540801967908