GETTING THE GOODS ON SOCIAL CAPITAL

This article presents an overview of the origins, development, rapid d iffusion, and current usage of the concept of social capital in both t he academic (research-oriented) and more applied (social policy) liter ature. Following a short quantitative survey of the appearance of the term in both theses and journals, various meanings of social capital a re examined in the light of classical and contemporary sociological th eory. Three main research approaches, which are based on the operation alization of social capital or its application as a heuristic device, are critically examined. These approaches are associated with the work of James Coleman, Pierre Bourdieu, and Robert Putnam, but there are a lso some references to the work of economists. The authors contend tha t, while social capital has value and appeal as a new term, basic theo ry needs greater develop ment. Zn particular, attention should be paid to acknowledging the specific perspective on social capital that unde rlies its usage, the scale or level of analysis employed, and the valu e of a qualitative use of social capital.