A guide for the measurement of social capital at any level in any context.
There is almost universal agreement that social capital is difficult to measure with a high degree of validity. Demand for relevant empirical measures has continued to outstrip supply. You have likely found this article because you are looking for (and not yet found) a suitable instrument for measuring social capital. This article may help, but unfortunately there is no silver bullet; no perfect tool for social capital measurement.
Social capital cannot be measured directly, but can be inferred from its determinants or manifestations. The determinants are factors that have an impact on social interactions and therefore allow social capital to come about. Manifestations are the outcomes of social capital for example lower crime rates. We measure social capital by using indicators or “proxies” that are theoretically linked to social capital.
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