1st Edition

Social Capital Versus Social Theory

By Ben Fine Copyright 2001
    302 Pages
    by Routledge

    304 Pages
    by Routledge

    The idea of Social Capital is an attempt to incorporate social considerations into mainstream economic thinking. Its proponents feel that social factors are properly quantifiable. So, they use the compex algebra and statistics beloved of mainstream economic theory and measure 'units' of health care or education in the same way that they would machinery or transport.
    Ben Fine's main argument in this book is that such concers cannot be judged in terms of mathematical methods and that to try t odo so is overly simplistic.
    Fine assesses the impact of Social Impact across the social sciences and shows how economic analysis is being subsumed into these areas and how thinking in sociology and politics impacts upon economics.

    1. Introduction and Overview  2. The Enigma and Fluidity of Capital  3. Bringing the Social Back In  4. Bourdieu's Social Capital: from distinction to extinction  5. Bringing Rational Choice Back In  6. Making the Benchmark Work for Social Theory  7. The Expanding Universe of Social Capital  8. Making the Post-Washington Consensus  9. World Banking on Social Capital  10. Measuring Social Capital: How long is a missing link  11. Social Capital Versus Political Economy

    Biography

    Ben Fine