Strengthening ties between social capital, social movement and political culture. An integrative approach to social movements in countries with recent regime change

Abstract

This article attempts to analyze the connection between civic engagement and social capital, within the domain of social movements. Often left behind by the majority of key theoreticians of social movements, the notion of social capital brings to light the essential influence of the past, when talking about patterns of social engagement. Taking a certain distance of Diani's (1997) indication that social capital is an outcome of movement activity, this paper argues that different levels of civic engagement in similar societies can be explained by an analysis of the existing stock of social capital in these societies. In order to demonstrate the relationship between social capital, political culture and the activity of social movements, an integrative approach is proposed: by synthesizing these concepts a comprehensive scheme for social movement research will be developed, better adjusted to the environment of movements in countries with recent transition background. Three major aspects of the concept of social capital (networks, norms, generalized trust) appear to be facilitating factors for social mobilization and subsequently for movement activities. Even though cultural aspects are partially included in social movements research – cultural features within the opportunity-structures as well as in the framing school – its influence appears to be slightly underestimated. In the first two parts of the article crucial aspects of conceptions of social movements and social capital are reviewed. They are meant to prepare the path for the third part, in which our integrative approach is developed.