The Concept of Social Capital - Literature review Example

The Concept of Social Capital Student’s Name Institution The Concept of Social Capital Introduction The term ‘social capital’ has very many varied definitions, which various scholars have formulated in their attempt to capture its concept. Two scholars, James Coleman and Pierre Bourdieu, gave two contrasting definitions of social capital in the late 1980s. Coleman (1988) asserted that social capital functions as a mixture of entities having two common elements, which consist of various attributes of social structures and facilitate some actions of actors in the structures. On the other hand, Bourdieu (1985) defined social capital as the summative of the potential or actual resources that are connected to the possession of a resilient network of institutionalized correlations of shared recognition and acquaintance. This means that social capital has two significant elements: the social relationship itself, which allows people to access resources possessed by their acquaintances, and the quality and quantity of those resources. The main objective of this paper is to describe the concept of social capital in detail and demonstrate how the concept has been applied in health and social policy and various programs relating to the elderly population. The Concept of Social Capital and Its Relation to Various Policies for the Elderly Population The major difference between Coleman’s and Bourdieu’s explanations lies in why and how social processes build up. According to the definition given by Bourdieu, it can be argued that social processes are controlled by the fundamental economic organizations, whereas Coleman’s definition claims social processes are formed by the people’s free will. Bourdieu (1985) argues that the existence of profit is the reason behind the solidarity making group existence feasible in the first place. Consequently, he argues that the creation of social capital is underlined by the structural economic organization. However, according to Coleman (1988), social capital is formed by purposeful and rational individuals who create it with the sole purpose of making the most of their individual opportunities. Consequently, he sees the concept of social capital as a type of contract, which is normally made between people unrestrained by the fundamental economic factors. In this case, social capital possesses a rationalist economic flavor in which people get to choose freely to create networks, which they use to further their self-interests. The current theorists have built their arguments and derived their definitions of social capital from Coleman’s ideas, which mainly focuses on social inclusion and trust across the entire society. For instance, social capital can be defined as the social relations of shared benefit, which are characterized by the customs of reciprocity and trust. Today, the concept of social capital is generally used to represent the extent of social cohesion that is found in communities (Graczyk, 2002). It also entails the processes between individuals or groups, which create networks, social trust and customs, and necessitate co-operation and co-ordination for mutual gain. Social capital concept also concentrates on the positive facets of interrelationships between humans and ignores their less attractive attributes. In addition, the concept puts these positive effects in the wider capital framework and concentrates further on non-monetary capital as a foundation for influence and power. Bearing in mind that older people have extra time to participate in social activities as a result of retirement or even little familial restrictions, it is a fact that social capital is a significant determinant of health in older people. Even from a public policy perception, the backing of social capital seems to be one of the precedence topics for action to uphold the health of the elderly population (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2001). The focus on the ageing population in policymaking, especially in Europe, is driven by two key reasons. Healthy ageing strategies are nowadays essential during public policy formulations, because healthy ageing has become a main concern for economic sustainability and public health in Europe. One of the most effective directions that policy stakeholders may employ to help in achieving this goal is increased involvement of older people in social activities or through social capital. Social capital has been a very significant factor in various health and social policy formulations in the government, especially those concerning the elderly people (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2001). For instance, stakeholders in health policy normally use social capital facts to exercise power during decision-making concerning the distribution and planning of health services, allocation of resources in relation to the efficiency of health care interventions, community groups resourcing, volunteer programs, evaluation of programs, and health related support groups to help the ageing populace (Graczyk, 2002). In this case, policy makers too can use the various data on social capital together with other socioeconomic statistics to determine suitable levels of service provision and funding. For example, health policy makers may need to determine funding of health care service planning anchored in the communities that are being examined as possessing low intensities of social capital, coupled with a consideration of various socioeconomic traits. Policy stakeholders are also paying attention in encouraging and expanding the task of the community in health service scheduling, and community sets in possessing a dynamic role in health support, anticipatory health measures, and in manipulating health behaviors of old people (Graczyk, 2002). In addition, some particular issues of health, which policy stakeholders normally consider, can be determined by statistics on social capital such as suicide, mental health, premature death, and drug use. Data of this sort assists to target education strategies and services most effectively, conceivably through community schemes relating to health matters. Policy development also requires the policy-making stakeholders to demand for data that might be vital to examine whether there exists a connection between social capital and community or individual health, in accordance with the National Health Priority Areas (NHPA). In this case, NHPA includes cardiovascular problems, asthma, mental problems, cancers, serious injuries and diabetes mellitus, which the elderly population may be vulnerable to (Graczyk, 2002). In Australia, for instance, these areas presently are responsible for about 70% of the weight of disease. As a result, such areas have become the major focal points of public health education and health policy in the country since the prevalent potential achievements in health outcomes may result from such actions. Pertinent social capital records may help to improve education strategies and target policy in accordance with the National Health Priority Areas. In addition, social capital data may also help to some extent to clarify some of the grounds for their occurrence in dissimilar population groups. A research carried out on the effect of social capital and health care reported a very strong concern on how social capital levels within a community correlate to the level of usage and demand of health services. This was together with the enthusiasm of those individuals in the community to have and use self-assurance in welfare and health services, during times of need (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2001). It is a fact that trust, in health care services, can be very significant particularly in relation to preventive health services. Consequently, data of this sort may serve as a practical input in formulating and developing policy to maximize confidence and trust in health provisions, and to support the successful use of pre-emptive health services. The individual compliance of people to offer care and assistance, including volunteer work or informal careers, to those individuals who are in need of care (those chronically ill, the elderly population, or people with a disability) is always an area of much interest to policy makers. Interrelated policy questions of significance are useful in the need to get an understanding of community anticipations concerning responsibility for, expectations, and admittance to volunteer, public or private non-acute health care provisions for such vulnerable people (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2001). Data to enlighten such policy questions would be valuable in determining the application of health care services and the degree of possible caregiver networks in the community. Again, they could be useful in informing policies correlated to additional building and maximizing the caregiver set-ups in the community. Taking Australia as an example, social capital statistics at a geographic level tolerating this form of analysis can back the planning of health care services of regional and rural Australia, particularly the ageing aboriginal group (Graczyk, 2002). In addition, there is also the significance of social capital as an aspect in altering or maintaining health behaviors in aboriginal Australians. The literature review has mentioned the fact that social capital is a vital ingredient for healthy and successful aging. According to me, this is a fact. The elderly are embodied on both the demand and supply forces of social capital in the community. In the U.S. society for instance, social capital, in the form of generalized trust, civic rendezvous, and neighborliness is on the decline (Cannuscio, Block, & Kawachi, 2003). I believe health policy makers can exploit the social capital benefits in many ways. For example, they should include an assessment of the living conditions of elderly patients in the community into routine clinical care and assessment. In certain cases, it would be prudent for clinicians to recommend extra active participation of elderly patients in their communities. This can be achieved, for instance, through active participation in senior centers or volunteering in local services, just as clinicians would presently prescribe smoking termination or regular exercise. Gerontologists involved in health and social policy implementations can become dynamic advocates for long-standing housing options, which accentuate high integration into the local communities. Just like any common good, nonetheless, the social capital provision is expected to necessitate coordinated financing and planning, for instance, in the shape of subsidies for aided living developments, at the state, federal, and local levels (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2001). Despite the lack of an easy solution to rejuvenating the lost social capital, promising developments in housing options for old people present the potential for converting social capital into health benefits (Cannuscio, Block, & Kawachi, 2003). Whereas the current elder housing options must be assessed carefully and future elderly homes planned with a lot of thought, in reality, lots of the nation’s elderly population will age in place. Conclusion The concept of social capital has been used to represent the extent of social cohesion that is found in communities and it entails the processes between individuals or groups, which create networks, social trust and customs, and necessitate co-operation and co-ordination for mutual gain. Social capital is a significant determinant of health in older people and has been the focus on the ageing population in policymaking. Healthy ageing strategies are nowadays essential during public policy formulations, because the subject has become a main concern for economic sustainability and public health. Health policy makers can exploit the social capital benefits and include an assessment of the living conditions of elderly patients in the community into routine clinical care and assessment. References Bourdieu, P. (1985). “Chapter 9: The forms of capital.” In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education. West Port, CT: Greenwood Press. Cannuscio, C., Block, J., & Kawachi, I. (2003). Social capital and successful aging: The role of senior housing. Annals of Internal Medicine, 139(2), 395-399. Coleman, J. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94 (Supplement), s95-s120. Dasgupta, P., & Serageldin, I. (2001). Social capital: a multifaceted perspective. Washington, DC: World Bank Publications. Graczyk, J. (2002). Social capital and social wellbeing (Discussion Paper). Australian Bureau of Statistics. Read More