Sociaal kapitaal, levensbeschouwelijke betrokkenheid en maatschappelijke integratie in België

Abstract

This study analyses on an empirical way the relationship between the involvement in religious or ideological associations and a number of indicators of social integration from the viewpoint of social Capital. Social integration is understood as the maintenance of value orientations and attitudes that are favourable for the justification and the functioning of democracy. Social capital is studied on the individual level. It is analysed to what extent the religious involvement and the active participation in voluntary associations has a moderating effect on a number of indicators of social disintegration: distrust in others and in the future, feeling threatened by ethnic minorities, racist views, utilitarian individualism, political alienation, and the lack of political interest and participation in voting. As was expected, religious involvement and active participation in voluntary associations are negatively correlated with these indicators of social disintegration, but the net effects are rather weak. This is partially due to the defective measurement of the predictors. More extensive measurements of active participation in voluntary associations and other networks must be included in future studies.