Changes in Social Capital During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Changes in Social Capital During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Author: Renate Schubert
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023
Genre:
ISBN:

The COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by social distancing regulations in many countries. At a first glance, such regulations seem to harm residents' networking, their volunteering, trust, cohesion building activities, etc. which are important facets of social capital. In this study, we analyze whether social distancing rules affect the social capital and whether over time key factors of social capital change. Our study investigates into this topic for two countries, Singapore and Switzerland, based on two representative surveys run in June 2020 and June 2021. We find that in both countries the social capital did not decrease, but rather slightly increased during the pandemic crisis. In particular, during the above-mentioned period of social distancing regulations, social bonds, social trust and support among residents increased by between 10 and 20% in both countries and residents' trust in government became higher (by approximately 15%) in Singapore. Moreover, we observe that a religious anchoring seems to augment social capital. Overall, our results are encouraging since they imply that social capital is rather stable during a crisis, even if regulations impede physical social encounters.

Social Capital and Health

Social Capital and Health
Author: Ichiro Kawachi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 295
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0387713107

As interest in social capital has grown over the past decade—particularly in public health —so has the lack of consensus on exactly what it is and what makes it worth studying. Ichiro Kawachi, a widely respected leader in the field, and 21 contributors (including physicians, economists, and public health experts) discuss the theoretical origins of social capital, the strengths and limitations of current methodologies of measuring it, and salient examples of social capital concepts informing public health practice. Among the highlights: Measurement methods: survey, sociometric, ethnographic, experimental The relationship between social capital and physical health and health behaviors: smoking, substance abuse, physical activity, sexual activity Social capital and mental health: early findings Social capital and the aging community Social capital and disaster preparedness Social Capital and Health is certain to inspire a new generation of research on this topic, and will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in public health, health behavior, and social epidemiology.

Collaborative Knowledge Creation

Collaborative Knowledge Creation
Author: Anne Moen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2012-10-26
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9462090041

This book presents perspectives on the knowledge creation metaphor of learning, and elaborates the trialogical approach to learning. The knowledge creation metaphor differs from both the acquisition and the participation metaphors. In a nutshell trialogical approaches seek to engage learners in joint work with shared objects and artefacts mediated by collaboration technology. The theoretical underpinnings stem from different origins, including Bereiter and Scardamalia’s theory on knowledge building and Engeström’s activity theory. The authors in this collection introduce key concepts and techniques, explain tools designed and developed to support knowledge creation, and report results from case studies in specific contexts. The book chapters integrate theoretical, methodological, empirical and technological research, to elaborate the empirical findings and to explain the design of the knowledge creation tools. The target audiences for this book are researchers, teachers and Human Resource developers interested in new perspectives on collaborative learning, technology-mediated knowledge creation, and applications of this in their own settings, for higher education, teacher training and workplace learning. The book is the result of joint efforts from many contributors who took part in the Knowledge-practices Laboratory (KP-Lab) project (2006-2011) supported by EU FP6.

Designing Resilience

Designing Resilience
Author: Louise K. Comfort
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2010-09-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0822973707

In the wake of severe climatic events and terrorist acts and the emergence of dangerous technologies, communities, nations, and global organizations have diligently sought to create strategies to prepare for such events. Designing Resilience presents case studies of extreme events and analyzes the ability of affected individuals, institutions, governments, and technological systems to cope with disaster. This volume defines resilience as it relates to disaster management at specific stages: mitigation, prevention, preparation, and response and recovery. The book illustrates models by which to evaluate resilience at levels ranging from individuals to NGOs to governmental jurisdictions and examines how resilience can be developed and sustained. A group's or nation's ability to withstand events and emerge from them with their central institutions intact is at the core of resilience. Quality of response, capacity to improvise, coordination, flexibility, and endurance are also determinants. Individual case studies, including Hurricane Katrina in the United States, the London bombings, and French preparedness for the Avian flu, demonstrate effective and ineffective strategies.The contributors reveal how the complexity and global interconnectivity of modern systems-whether they are governments, mobile populations, power grids, financial systems, or the Internet-have transcended borders and created a new level of exposure that has made them especially vulnerable to extreme events. Yet these far-reaching global systems also possess the ability to alert and respond at greater speeds than ever before. The authors also analyze specific characteristics of resilient systems-the qualities they possess and how they become resilient-to determine if there are ways to build a system of resilience from the ground up. As such, Designing Resilience will inform a broad range of students and scholars in areas of public administration, public policy, and the social sciences.

The Impact of Social Capital on Individual Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic

The Impact of Social Capital on Individual Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: John (Jianqiu) Bai
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

This paper employs the theoretical lens of social capital to examine social distancing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. By exploiting daily mobile GPS location data, we provide strong evidence for the diverse effects of the two constituents of social capital, civic norms and social networks, on social distancing. While civic norms have a positive effect, social networks have a negative impact on social distancing as measured by time spent at home. These results are consistent with a nuanced view of social capital: civic norms facilitate cooperation and self-sacrifice for the common good, whereas social networks increase individual embeddedness and hence inertia in maintaining social interactions, resulting in opposite effects on social distancing. Our results contribute to the research at the intersection of social capital and individual ethical behavior and provide valuable insights for policy makers and businesses in dealing with a global pandemic.

Building Resilience

Building Resilience
Author: Daniel P. Aldrich
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2012-08-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0226012891

The factor that makes some communities rebound quickly from disasters while others fall apart: “A fascinating book on an important topic.”—E.L. Hirsch, in Choice Each year, natural disasters threaten the strength and stability of communities worldwide. Yet responses to the challenges of recovery vary greatly and in ways that aren’t explained by the magnitude of the catastrophe or the amount of aid provided by national governments or the international community. The difference between resilience and disrepair, as Daniel P. Aldrich shows, lies in the depth of communities’ social capital. Building Resilience highlights the critical role of social capital in the ability of a community to withstand disaster and rebuild both the infrastructure and the ties that are at the foundation of any community. Aldrich examines the post-disaster responses of four distinct communities—Tokyo following the 1923 earthquake, Kobe after the 1995 earthquake, Tamil Nadu after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and New Orleans post-Katrina—and finds that those with robust social networks were better able to coordinate recovery. In addition to quickly disseminating information and financial and physical assistance, communities with an abundance of social capital were able to minimize the migration of people and valuable resources out of the area. With governments increasingly overstretched and natural disasters likely to increase in frequency and intensity, a thorough understanding of what contributes to efficient reconstruction is more important than ever. Building Resilience underscores a critical component of an effective response.

The Role of Social Capital in Social Solidarity Initiatives During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Egypt

The Role of Social Capital in Social Solidarity Initiatives During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Egypt
Author: Nada Moustafa Baraka
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021
Genre: COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
ISBN:

Abstract: This qualitative study aimed at studying internal social cohesion in the Egyptian society during Covid-19 pandemic. In our research the notion of social capital acted as a measure of community resilience that was present in the Egyptian social solidarity scene during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The focus is on voluntary associations that mobilize resources to help those in need, often relying on social media for outreach. The main research question is thus: "To what extent did social solidarity online networks in Egypt harvest social capital during the Covid-19 pandemic?". Key informant interviews discovered that the services provided during Covid-19 pandemic ranged from Personal Protective Equipment to front-line medical personnel to helping those who became unemployed. Study findings showed that social capital has played a major role in establishing social resources, such as trust, norms and values that mobilized networks into action. The strengthening of social capital has also been characterized by strong online presence within the domain of social media platforms that empowered these unofficial networks to act as an informal communication and information channel in times of crisis and uncertainty of the pandemic. Further research would suggest the need for a more in-depth assessment of social capital in the Egyptian context, as well as devising further tools on how to formalize these networks in order to optimize social capital in times of crisis.

Cities and Communities Beyond COVID-19

Cities and Communities Beyond COVID-19
Author: Hambleton, Robin
Publisher: Bristol University Press
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2020-10-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1529215854

The COVID-19 virus outbreak has rocked the world and it is widely accepted that there can be no return to the pre-pandemic society of 2019. However, many suggestions for the future of society and the planet are aimed at national governments, international bodies and society in general. Drawing on a decade of research by an internationally renowned expert, this book focuses on how cities and communities can lead the way in developing recovery strategies that promote social, economic and environmental justice. It offers new thinking tools for civic leaders and activists as well as practical suggestions on how we can co-create a more inclusive post COVID-19 future for us all.

Three Studies of Social Capital and Population Health

Three Studies of Social Capital and Population Health
Author: Eunice Yang Park
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2022
Genre:
ISBN:

This dissertation is composed of three studies of social capital and its association with population health in the United States. It contributes to important ongoing discussions in the fields of social capital and population health. Chapter 1 outlines an overview of the dissertation. Chapter 2 reviews background and literature.The first study (Chapter 3) aims to establish the relationship between cognitive social capital, measured by one's sense of community, and mental health. Findings using the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) data collected between 2014 and 2016 indicate that a positive sense of community is associated with a reduced risk of experiencing depression, anxiety, and stress. The second study (Chapter 4) aims to extend the findings from the first study (positive association between one's sense of community and mental health) to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically from 2020 to 2021. It also aims to test whether a different cognitive social capital measure (perceived social support) is associated with mental health during the pandemic. There are two main findings. First, the association between one's sense of community and mental health symptoms change during the COVID-19 pandemic, from a negative association in spring 2020 to a positive association in summer 2021. Second, the association between one's perceived social support and mental health symptoms are consistent across two time points, winter 2021 and summer 2021, although the association weakens over time. The third study (Chapter 5) aims to reconsider how social capital is conceptualized and measured in a social determinants of health model in two main parts: a critical review and an evaluation. In the critical review, various social capital measures that are commonly used in population health research are reviewed. In evaluating the social capital construct in the County Health Rankings Model, I compare two measures and investigate the consequences of the two different measures on actions inspired. Findings suggest that choosing social capital measures is a complicated process and therefore requires multiple considerations such as construct validity, universality, and reliability. In Conclusion (Chapter 6), I present a summary of results, theoretical and empirical limitations that remain, and directions for future.