Das eingebildete Sozialkapital

Abstract

Abstract

The idea of social capital, referring to resources inherent in social relationships, which for those who are able to access them, enhance the possible outcome of their actions, is a compelling one. But the particular concept of social capital that has been most influential so far, that of Robert Putnam, who treats it as a synonym for „civic involvement“ respectively the „density of voluntary associations“, suffers from serious flaws. It systematically downplays the significance of state action, and of ideas, and hence of politics, assigning causal primacy to social networks in a way that appears untenable in the light of the history of the particular societies that Putnam himself has studied. It ignores the significance of the context and of the content of the relationships in social networks, and thus evades questions of power. It offers a consensual view of social relationships, down-playing conflict. Yet these features are precisely the ones that have made this particular idea of social capital so attractive to development agencies, both practically and ideologically. The question remains, however, as to wether a conceptualisation of social capital that is in line with Bourdieu’s ideas, is not a valuable contribution to social science.