In class today we talked about social capital, and like all scholarly derived concepts, there are a million convoluted definitions available for you to try and decipher. I came about a very simple and concise definition by Timothy Smith and Michael Doherty from Australia, they define social capital as:
" the networks and connections between people that contribute to social cohesion"
Things like community groups, church, sports teams, family groups, social clubs ect.. are all things that increase social capital. Each person has a different amount of social capital and everyone values and enjoys different things. My personal social capital is found in things like my church, people who i share common interests like music and sports, my family, connecting with nature and my classmates. At this point in my life I don't feel like I am gaining any social capital because of all the moving i have been doing. Being a student, particularly in an intense course, does not allow me to explore new and exciting things in my community. Being aware of this concept will help to me ensure that I am purposely seeking to increase my social capital in my community.
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