The definition of social capital varies, though as buzzword its usage is climbing faster than the economy. The idea that social relationships have capital fits well with the 21st century mindset that all things are interrelated, whether in scale (locally and globally) or in substance (education reform affects civic engagement and vice versa). As it relates to civic engagement, the idea is that social capital is what individuals build-up through their social relations and network to then “spend” on themselves or on others in order to influence them to do something productive (civically).

NCoC’s latest Civic Health Assessment tries to break down social capital into bite-size chunks that we can relate to in our everyday lives, stating “the most powerful force in American democracy is the connection between and among citizens.” The Report found that 9 out of 10 people eat dinner with members of their household, and nearly 5 in 10 talk to family and friends online and talk with neighbors (not necessarily online). The emphasis on family and friends is important because people look to this inner-circle to not only verify news stories, but also to discuss community problems, express political option and learn about news of interest and opportunities to volunteer—all civic behaviors that lead to increased civic health. Thus, friends and family, these first-degree social connections, are the foundation of America’s social capital and are universal among all Americans.

But ours is a country of immigrants and that alters the social connectivity landscape that once bonded American society in the mid-20th century. In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam found that social diversity hurt social capital in the short-term because it led ethnic groups and communities to look inwards. The optimistic long-term view of social diversity is that it will lead to innovation because of the interactions and connections of diverse groups. We are not all the way there, yet, as shown by the NCoC Civic Health Index 2010. For example, nearly half of Latinos exchange favors with neighbors, the highest among all ethnic/racial groups. For immigrant groups, such as Latinos, ethnic enclaves are communities where immigrants and naturalized citizens help one another transition to becoming “American”. This type of social capital requires knowing the culture of the home country and as well as the new country, which is one of the reasons that increased social diversity leads to inward engagement in the short-term.

Looking out towards the horizon, there is reason to be hopeful that this will change. Multiracial Americans were the most likely group to engage in more than one political activity; this finding is consistent with CIRCLE’s research that finds that people who have one foreign-born and one American-born parent are more likely to be involved civically and politically. The idea of “social connections” and its capacity for innovation and civic engagement is realized in these examples, but both these groups are relatively small when compared to the size of Latinos or other groups.

Looking inward and helping one’s own ethnic community isn’t necessarily an insular activity. As survey data and anecdotes accumulate on the social capital of Americans, the jury may still be out on whether increased social diversity will build-up social capital. While immigrants are often portrayed as adding to the economic landscape, their contributions to the civic and political life is not to be missed. Because of their exposure to other political and civic systems, immigrants have dual-loyalties to their home country and the U.S.A. This divides the social capital they have among two or more countries.

The notion of dual-loyalties plays out differently today than in the early years of our country when creating an American identity and culture was paramount to the success of a new nation. Today, technology has made it easier for people to hold dual-loyalties and for native-born Americans to think globally and act locally. Consider the text donation campaign for the disaster in Haiti or the use of text-messaging in get-out-the-vote efforts. With access to technology, individuals are just moments away from connecting with family, friends and the wider public. This may help mitigate the inward-looking view of immigrant communities in the short-term and allow them to also participate in American civic life more broadly.

We want to hear from you: What are other ways you have seen technology and diversity create social capital and increase civic engagement?



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Piece contributed by NCoC.net commentator Karlo Barrios Marcelo, CEO of Karlo Marcelo Consulting, LLC.