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Social Capital and Urban Governance: Adding a More Contextualized ‘Top‐down’ Perspective

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  • William Maloney
  • Graham Smith
  • Gerry Stoker

Abstract

There is growing interest in the social sciences in the concept of social capital and the role it plays in facilitating collaborative and collective actions. Within political science, it is the work of Robert Putnam which has dominated social capital research. This paper argues that the ‘Putnam‐school’ approach is lacking in two main respects. First, the role played by public authorities in the creation of social capital is neglected. Second, the implications for governance cannot simply be read off from associational activity and ‘stocks’ of social capital. The concept of the political opportunity structure is offered and adapted to develop a framework for social capital analysis. Original empirical material from Birmingham is drawn upon and compared to earlier studies of the city in order to support and illustrate the arguments of the paper.

Suggested Citation

  • William Maloney & Graham Smith & Gerry Stoker, 2000. "Social Capital and Urban Governance: Adding a More Contextualized ‘Top‐down’ Perspective," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 48(4), pages 802-820, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:polstu:v:48:y:2000:i:4:p:802-820
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-9248.00284
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    Cited by:

    1. Gila Menahem & Gideon Doron & David Itzhak Haim, 2011. "Bonding and Bridging Associational Social Capital and the Financial Performance of Local Authorities in Israel," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(5), pages 659-681, June.
    2. Dan Trudeau, 2008. "Junior Partner or Empowered Community? The Role of Non-profit Social Service Providers amidst State Restructuring in the US," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(13), pages 2805-2827, December.
    3. Tjitske Akkerman & Maarten Hajer & John Grin, 2004. "The Interactive State: Democratisation from Above?," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 52(1), pages 82-95, March.
    4. Gareth D. Leeves, 2014. "Increasing returns to education and the impact on social capital," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(5), pages 449-470, October.
    5. Mackenzie Consoer & Anita Milman, 2016. "The dynamic process of social capital during recovery from Tropical Storm Irene in Vermont," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 84(1), pages 155-174, October.
    6. Lori M. Poloni-Staudinger, 2008. "The Domestic Opportunity Structure and Supranational Activity," European Union Politics, , vol. 9(4), pages 531-558, December.
    7. Alan Middleton & Alan Murie & Rick Groves, 2005. "Social Capital and Neighbourhoods that Work," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 42(10), pages 1711-1738, September.
    8. Nyamori, Robert Ochoki & Lawrence, Stewart R. & Perera, Hector B., 2012. "Revitalising local democracy: A social capital analysis in the context of a New Zealand local authority," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 23(7), pages 572-594.
    9. Federica Zardo & Lydia Rössl & Christina Khoury, 2023. "Adapting to Crisis: The Governance of Public Services for Migrants and Refugees during COVID-19 in Four European Cities," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-23, April.
    10. Alberto Batinti & Luca Andriani & Andrea Filippetti, 2019. "Local Government Fiscal Policy, Social Capital and Electoral Payoff: Evidence across Italian Municipalities," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(4), pages 503-526, November.
    11. Hilde Coffé, 2009. "Social Capital and Community Heterogeneity," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 155-170, April.
    12. Anna Cento Bull & Bryn Jones, 2006. "Governance and Social Capital in Urban Regeneration: A Comparison between Bristol and Naples," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 43(4), pages 767-786, April.
    13. Alex Burfitt & Stewart Macneill, 2008. "The Challenges of Pursuing Cluster Policy in the Congested State," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 492-505, June.
    14. Graham Smith & William Maloney & Gerry Stoker, 2004. "Building Social Capital in City Politics: Scope and Limitations at the Inter‐organisational Level," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 52(3), pages 508-530, October.
    15. Joseph Leibovitz, 2003. "Institutional Barriers to Associative City-region Governance: The Politics of Institution-building and Economic Governance in 'Canada's Technology Triangle'," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 40(13), pages 2613-2642, December.
    16. Rhys Andrews, 2007. "Civic Culture and Public Service Failure: An Empirical Exploration," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(4), pages 845-863, April.
    17. Zaheera Jinnah, 2017. "In the Shadow of a State: Self-Settlement Strategies and Informal Governance Amongst Somalis in Johannesburg," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 881-895, August.
    18. Borg, Riikka & Toikka, Arho & Primmer, Eeva, 2015. "Social capital and governance: a social network analysis of forest biodiversity collaboration in Central Finland," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 90-97.
    19. Eleanor Jupp, 2012. "Rethinking Local Activism: ‘Cultivating the Capacities’ of Neighbourhood Organising," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(14), pages 3027-3044, November.
    20. Christine Milligan & Nicholas R. Fyfe, 2005. "Preserving Space for Volunteers: Exploring the Links between Voluntary Welfare Organisations, Volunteering and Citizenship," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 42(3), pages 417-433, March.
    21. Marie Mahon & Micheál Ó Cinnéide, 2009. "Governance Deficits in Residential Housing Estates in Ireland," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(1), pages 93-116, January.
    22. Mandy de Wilde & Menno Hurenkamp & Evelien Tonkens, 2014. "Flexible relations, frail contacts and failing demands: How community groups and local institutions interact in local governance in the Netherlands," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(16), pages 3365-3382, December.
    23. Mohan, John & Twigg, Liz & Barnard, Steve & Jones, Kelvyn, 2005. "Social capital, geography and health: a small-area analysis for England," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(6), pages 1267-1283, March.
    24. Leena K. Koivusilta, 2018. "Country-Level Investment in Cultural Opportunity Structures. A Potential Source of Health Differences Between 21 European Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 1091-1118, June.

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