SOCIAL CAPITAL - ITS ORIGINS AND APPLICATIONS IN MODERN SOCIOLOGY

This paper reviews the origins and definitions of social capital in th e writings of Bourdieu, Loury, and Coleman, among other authors. It di stinguishes four sources of social capital and examines their dynamics . Applications of the concept in the sociological literature emphasize its role in social control, in family support, and in benefits mediat ed by extrafamilial networks. I provide examples of each of these posi tive functions. Negative consequences of the same processes also deser ve attention for a balanced picture of the forces at play. I review fo ur such consequences and illustrate them with relevant examples. Recen t writings on social capital have extended the concept from an individ ual asset to a feature of communities and even nations. The final sect ions describe this conceptual stretch and examine its limitations. I a rgue that, as shorthand for the positive consequences of sociability, social capital has a definite place in sociological theory. However, e xcessive extensions of the concept may jeopardize its heuristic value.