In search of social capital

Social capital is increasingly regarded by politicians, policy makers and theoreticians as an antidote to a range of social ills and its absence as a cause of those same ills. Originating in Bourdieu and popularised by Putnam, much is claimed for social capital. However, there is little agreement on what social capital is, where it comes from, how it can be measured and, if it is a 'good thing', how we can get more of it. This article reviews the main schools of thought relating to social capital, summarises what is being claimed for it and then sketches out a research agenda to address the unresolved issues surrounding this attractive but elusive concept.