Exploring 'Unseen' Social Capital in Community Participation

Abstract

Building a 'Pro-Poor' Social Capital Framework 2 Ethnography-Alternative Research Methodology 3 Historical and Cultural Contexts of Mainland Chinese Migrants in Hong Kong 4 Investing in Social Capital?-Considering the Paradoxes of Agency in Social Exchange 5 'Getting the Social Relations Right'?-Understanding Institutional Plurality and Dynamics 6 Rethinking Authority and Power in the Structures of Relations 7 Conclusions and Policy Implications Notes Bibliography Annex 1 Annex 2 Detailed contents Acknowledgements Preface 2 Ethnography-Alternative Research Methodology 2.1 Objectives 2.2 Research questions 2.3 Ethnographic research 2.3.1 Limitations of current quantitative approach 2.3.2 What is ethnography? 2.3.3 How is ethnography relevant to social capital study? 2.3.4 Realism 2.4 Case studies approach 2.4.1 Migrant groups 2.4.2 Clan associations 2.5 Research methods 2.5.1 Natural observation 2.5.2 Participant observation 2.5.2.1 Negotiating physical access 2.5.2.2 Data recording and analysis 2.5.2.3 Reflections on participant observations 2.5.3 Interviews 2.5.3.1 Life course approach 2.5.3.2 Key informant/ key player interviews 2.5.4.3 Reflections on interviews 2.6 Validity, reflexivity and research limitations 2.6.1 External and internal validity 2.6.2 Gender and identity 2.6.3 Ethical issues 2.6.4 Limitations of my research 3 Historical and Cultural Contexts of Mainland Chinese Migrants in Hong Kong 8 DETAILED CONTENTS 3.3.1 Informal social networks 3.3.2 Strong Chinese familism and face-saving mentality 3.3.3 Implications for collective action 3.4 Neighbourhood 3.4.1 Geographical location 3.4.2 Physical infrastructure and social participation 3.4.3 Social relations between family members 3.4.4 Avoiding neighbourly contacts as a strategy 3.5 Gender and authority 3.5.1 Ideal form of collective action 3.5.2 Complexity of gender relations 3.6 Migrant subjectivity and experience 3.7 Conclusions 4 Investing in Social Capital?-Considering the Paradoxes of Agency in Social Exchange 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Modelling of incentives in the mainstream social capital model 4.2.1 Strategic agency 4.2.2 Linear transformation of agency 4.2.3 Individualised and optimistic agency 4.3 Complexity of motivations 4.3.1 Wider motivations in decision making 4.3.2 The complex reasoning of agency 4.4 Agent subjectivity 4.4.1 Disinvesting in neighbourhood 4.4.2 Undeletable nature of social capital 4.5 Routine, habit and precedent 4.5.1 People routinely trust others 4.5.2 The conflict-avoiding nature of routine 4.6 Injecting agency into livelihoods 4.6.1 Relational reasoning of agency 4.6.2 Changing social networks and priorities 4.7 Romanticising equal negotiation 4.7.1 Social meanings of gift-exchange 4.7.2 Limited negotiation 4.8 Putting agency within structure 4.8.1 Gendered moral rationality 4.8.2 Reshaping masculinity 4.8.3 Class and identity 4.9 Paradoxes of agency 4.9.1 Agents embracing inequalities DETAILED CONTENTS 4.10 Conclusions 'Getting the Social Relations Right'?-Understanding Institutional Plurality and Dynamics 5.1 Intro...

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