Theories of Social Capital

Ben Fine

Description

Tracing the evolution of social capital since his highly acclaimed contribution of 2001 (Social Capital Versus Social Theory), Ben Fine consolidates his position as the world's leading critic of the concept.



Fine forcibly demonstrates how social capital has expanded across the social sciences only by degrading the different disciplines and topics that it touches: a McDonaldisation of social theory. The rise and fall of social capital at the World Bank is critically explained as is social capital's growing presence in disciplines, such as management studies, and its relative absence in others, such as social history.



Writing with a sharp critical edge, Fine not only deconstructs the roller-coaster presence of social capital across the social sciences but also draws out lessons on how (and how not) to do research.
1. Introduction

2. From Rational Choice to McDonaldisation

3. The Short History of Social Capital

4. The BBI Syndrome

5. Social Capital versus Social History

6. Social Capital is Dead: Long Live Whatever Comes Next

7. Management Studies Goes to McDonald's

8. Degradation without Limit

9. W(h)ither Social Capital?

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• Economic Policy
• Public Policy
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• ECONOMICS
• General officer
• Political economy
• Politics
• Business
• General

Informations

• Publié par: Pluto Press
• Date de parution: 11 janvier 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783716555
• Langue: English

Extrait

Theories of Social Capital

Political Economy and Development Published in association with the International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy (IIPPE)

Edited by Ben Fine (SOAS, University of London) Dimitris Milonakis (University of Crete)

Political economy and the theory of economic and social development have long been fellow travellers, sharing an interdisciplinary and multidimensional character. Over the last 50 years, mainstream economics has become totally formalistic, attaching itself to increasingly narrow methods and techniques at the expense of other approaches. Despite this narrowness, neoclassical economics has expanded its domain of application to other social sciences, but has shown itself incapable of addressing social phenomena and coming to terms with current developments in the world economy. With world financial crises no longer a distant memory, and neoliberalism and postmodernism in retreat, prospects for political economy have strengthened. It allows constructive liaison between the dismal and other social sciences and rich potential in charting and explaining combined and uneven development. The objective of this series is to support the revival and renewal of political economy, both in itself and in dialogue with other social sciences. Drawing on rich traditions, we invite contributions that constructively engage with heterodox economics, critically assess mainstream economics, address contemporary developments and offer alternative policy prescriptions.