From the review sheet...

· Social Capital: What is this? Can you define it?

The discussion of Social capital arises from the article we read from the book Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam. On page 19 he defines social capital as "connections among individual's social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them" In a nutshell, social capitalis the social gains obtained by an individual who is a member of a community. In class, we discussed the idea of a neighborhood which is rich in social capital. In a case like these, members of the community frequesty engage in communication with one another, and may share simular belifes and goals. The bennifit the obtain by doing so is to be "amongst friends" if you will, in that the members of their community are more likly to look out for the indivduals should the need arise.