Getting Up to Speed on Social Capital
Youtube Videos
Robert Putnam – “Join or Die” & Building Communities to Save Democracy | The Daily Show
Robert Putnam in Conversation: The Value of Social Capital and “Bowling Alone” in 2025
John Crowley – Social Capital in Action: A Blueprint from Petaluma’s Civic Experiments
Documentary Films related to Social Capital
Join or Die — Why joining groups builds trust, belonging, and a functioning democracy.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? — How steady, local relationships create lasting social trust.
The Social Dilemma — How digital life weakens real-world connection and civic bonds.
Happy — Strong relationships and community drive well-being across cultures.
American Factory — Trust, culture, and breakdown inside a modern workplace.
Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones — Social networks and daily connection as drivers of longevity.
What is Social Capital
Social capital is the value created by relationships—trust, reciprocity, and shared norms that make cooperation possible. It shows up in everyday behavior: people helping each other, sharing information, participating in groups, and solving problems collectively.
Where it comes from
The idea has been around for over a century, but it gained wide traction with Robert D. Putnam and his book Bowling Alone. Putnam documented the decline of civic participation in the U.S. and linked it to reduced trust, weaker communities, and poorer outcomes.
How it’s studied
Social capital is measured through:
- Trust levels (e.g., “Do you trust your neighbors?”)
- Participation (clubs, associations, volunteering)
- Network density (how connected people are)
- Reciprocity (mutual support behaviors)
Common distinctions:
- Bonding — strong ties (family, close friends)
- Bridging — weaker ties across groups (key for opportunity and resilience)
- Linking — connections across power levels (institutions, government)
Research consistently shows correlations with:
- Better public health
- Lower crime
- Higher economic mobility
- Stronger disaster recovery
How it’s used
Social capital is now applied across:
- Public policy — community resilience, urban planning
- Public health — reducing isolation, improving outcomes
- Economic development — networks driving opportunity
- Disaster recovery — faster recovery in high-trust communities
Work by Daniel Aldrich shows that communities with stronger social networks recover faster from disasters than those with more physical infrastructure but weaker ties.
Who creates it
Social capital is not built by institutions alone. It emerges from:
- Regular, repeated interaction
- Shared spaces (cafés, clubs, community centers)
- Structured gatherings (dinners, conversations, events)
- Norms of participation and inclusion
It is built locally, through consistent, in-person engagement.
Key organizations and resources
- International Social Capital Association
- Conferences, research, global practitioners
- Social Capital Research
- Practical frameworks, measurement tools, publications
Working takeaway
Social capital is built through structured, repeatable interaction.
Communities with higher social capital function better, recover faster, and create more opportunity for their members.
Top Books on Social Capital (since Bowling Alone)
- Bowling Alone — Robert D. Putnam (2000)
Foundational work documenting the decline of civic engagement in the U.S. and its impact on trust and community life. - Better Together — Robert D. Putnam & Lewis Feldstein (2003)
Case studies showing how social capital can be rebuilt through practical, local initiatives. - The Collapse and Revival of American Community — Robert D. Putnam & Shaylyn Romney Garrett (2019)
Long-term historical analysis of rising and falling social capital in the U.S., with emphasis on paths to renewal. - The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
Design gatherings with clear purpose and intention so people connect in ways that actually matter. - Community: The Structure of Belonging
Belonging is built by shifting from systems and problems to relationships, ownership, and shared accountability. - Palaces for the People — Eric Klinenberg
Focus on “social infrastructure” (libraries, cafés, public spaces) as the physical layer enabling social capital.
Top Non-Academic Talks on Social Capital
1. Robert D. Putnam — Community & Civic Life
Accessible version of his core argument; widely viewed beyond academia.
2. Eric Klinenberg — Why Social Infrastructure Matters
Clear, practical framing of how places like libraries and cafés build connection.
3. Priya Parker — The Art of Gathering
Focus on designing gatherings that create meaningful connection.
4. Johann Hari — Loneliness & Connection
Links disconnection and isolation to broader social outcomes; highly accessible.
5. Sebastian Junger — Tribe & Belonging
Explores human need for belonging and tight-knit community.
Top Academic Talks on Social Capital
1. Robert Putnam — Civic Engagement & Social Capital
Core overview of declining social capital, measurement, and implications for democracy and community life.
2. Daniel Aldrich — Social Capital & Disaster Recovery
Empirical research showing communities with stronger networks recover faster than those with more resources but weaker ties.
3. Eric Klinenberg — Social Infrastructure
Explains how physical places (libraries, cafés, parks) enable social capital and shape community outcomes.
4. Tristan Claridge — Measuring Social Capital
Clear breakdown of definitions, frameworks, and how social capital is quantified in research and policy.
5. Elinor Ostrom — Collective Action & Trust
Foundational work on how trust and shared norms enable groups to manage resources without centralized control.