Network Capital, Social Capital, Social Networks, Human Development, Network Society, Information Society, Social Cohesion, ICT, Volunteering
Abstract
Social capital is a measure of social cohesion, and an important indicator of human development. There are various definitions of social capital, but all make reference to the relationships and social practices that favor collaboration among members of a particular society in order to pursue collective goals.
As communities are increasingly defined by interests, besides by physical proximity, they are becoming organized into social networks. It then becomes relevant to examine social capital produced withing networks, which could be termed network capital. Network capital could be understood as a measure of the value that communities structured as social networks and using network tools (in particular computer networks) generate for themselves, for others and for society as a whole. Thus, it would be a kind of social capital specific and exclusive to what we call the Information Society (or in Castells terms the Network Society).
