Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013

RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SOCIAL CAPITAL AND MATTERS IN BRASOV COMMUNITY. A SECONDARY ANALYSIS APPROACH

Claudiu COMAN1

Abstract: The aim of this article is to present new research findings regarding sustainable development projects in Brasov County, depending on the social matters and social capital. The method used is a secondary analysis of data collected in a 2009 survey carried out on 3960 persons, representative for Brasov County. This new approach manages to reveal a classification of the Brasov County localities according to the social capital typology (bonding or bridging) and according to the identified social matters’ categories. The data indicates new perspectives on the two types of social capital and on their relation to social matters, representing guidelines for future research.

Key words: social capital, social matters, secondary analysis, bonding social capital, bridging social capital.

1. Introduction: conceptual with their values and measures must be clarifications taken to the end of eliminating such a situation [18]. These authors underline the Social matters are not rooted in the following defining elements of social social circumstances but in the matters: presumptions of the interested parties and 1. The situation presumed to be of the partisans committed to win over the problematic. The existence of the political acceptance in the sense of situations is supported by people talking perceiving certain circumstances as about it, by mass-media airing it; problems, depending on which said 2. The inconsistency of such a situation perceptions reflects the evolution of the with certain values and interests. Any social matters’ construction process situation defined as problematic in terms (Spector and Kitsuse, 1977; Jenness, of certain set of values; 1993). Thus, the study of social matter 3. The existence of a significant number becomes the study of social construction of people defining the situation as being a of reality itself. We may regard the problem. It is not necessarily a matter of existence of a social matter when a how many people are there but how well significant number of people consider a organized they are or the positions they certain social situation to be inconsistent occupy in society;

1 Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Brasov. 112 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013

4. Call for action to solve the structures, trust. Civil commitment may problematic situation. The people affected be measured through the following in their values and interests by said markers: vote attendance, reading the situation tell each other about that and newspapers and appearance in similar convey to the public the need for association and literary congregations. measures to solve the problematic or The more ‘horizontal’ the structure of disturbing situation [18, p. 4-6]. social networks providing personal social Coleman adapted the theory of rational contact between its members, the higher choice, based on the methodological the levels of social interaction, of individualism, where he construed social communication and of trust. Trust capital as the concept that was missing for facilitates the cooperation and aids the a complex analysis of the large scale solution of misunderstandings at the level social phenomena. Nonetheless, Bourdieu of joint actions. Solid trust favors a low analyzed the social capital concept to the cost of economic transactions, since end of refining his theory on hierarchic people are more willing to invest in joint social structures [7, p.501]. assets when „free riders” are a rare breed. To Robert Putnam, „social capital When civil commitment is less powerful, concerns aspects of social organization – economy is expected to be week, networks, norms and trust – that allow the leadership ineffective and corrupt. There participants to act together more is a connection between social capital and effectively to the end of achieving joint social matters of a community: political goals” [17, p.664-665]. Social capital is involvement and participation, education, seen as a prerequisite for economic safety of urban setting, pollution expansion and effective leadership since: prevention, health, unemployment and it strengthens the norms of generalized many other, all influenced by the level of reciprocity; facilitates the coordination social capital of the people in question and communication, contributing thus to [22]. the conveyance of information on the level of trust of other individuals/ groups; 2. Types of social capital: bonding and keeps alive the memory of successful past bridging cooperation, creating a „cultural shape” where future cooperation may take place Narayan (1999) and Woolcock (2000) (Putnam, 1993). This way, Robert Putnam introduce the distinction between bonding places social capital in connection with and bridging types of social capital [13], social development, in the sense that a [23]. The bonding social capital is rich communitarian life contributes to the relevant for the life of small, closed creation of public asset, facilitating the communities that are dominated by reproduction and setting of all types of relations developed within the group of capital. However, in the name of nearest affiliation, often overlapping efficiency, public politics in the field of kinship, and by trust towards any social capital must be integrated into corporate actor, individual or outside general politics of economic capital institution of the group. The bonding expansion (physical and financial), human social capital usually contributes to the and social [22]. flourish of the familial amorality The operationalization of the social described by Banfield (1958), the capital as concept aims its relation to: community becoming socially isolated civil commitment, social network from the rest of the world and working C. COMAN: Research Findings on Social Capital and Matters in Brasov Community… 113 according to its own set of unwritten copy. The social networks of the poor are rules, despite the possible spatial smaller than those of the other individuals interference with other groups, and tend to limit to the vicinity. The result collectivity and individuals [2]. is the formation of closed groups, poor The bridging social capital implies on groups, with a separate social capital, the other hand the establishment of practically cut down from evolution. relations and trust amongst other groups besides the primary, higher levels of trust 3. Measurement and data obtained in institution, participation in social from field research relations materialized in partnerships. The bridging social capital’s main role is A secondary analysis has been made favoring evolution [apud 21, p.13]. The over the database collected for the “Social bonding social capital concerns the matters’ map” research, made in 2009 in horizontal relationships between members Brasov County. In this way, researchers of the social network perceived similarly are overcoming this final cost obstacle by and may be associated with the social engaging in secondary analysis, building cohesion concept. The bridging social research projects around the analysis or capital is more concerned with the vertical reanalysis of data originally collected by relationships established between various someone else [8, p. 144]. Secondary groups of the society that do not analysis may be performed by taking necessarily share similar social identities, information from sources other than that do not have the same take on social surveys, but survey data are increasingly justice, on solidarity within society in likely candidates for secondary analysis general [15, p.256]. Thus, the bridging because of the quantity of such data and social capital is the one linking the social because of their availability in an groups and maintaining the society united inexpensive and well-organized form. and operational while the bonding social The secondary analysis constitutes a capital is the one separating the groups, complex approach to the data with well dividing the societies. The first serves as determined application rules and specific glue and catalyst for the generation of methodological principles. The data may public asset, favouring the civil have been collected for and already participation and activism. The latter analyzed by researchers, but new hinders the creation of public assets [22]. information or scientific interest may lead Social capital may have negative and someone to reanalyze the data [8, p. 144]. positive effects on poverty and evolution. It requires the filing of sociological Those who hold more information/ empirical researches. At present, a strong knowledge, are the same who present high revival is registered, being distinctive for levels of income and the coveted positions the current evolutional stage of socio- in society, hence the poor people’s human empirical researches (actual, field tendency to adopt imitative strategies with research). To a certain extent, it resembles positive effects on evolution. On the other the communication content analysis; they hand, social networks generally include are both applied to certain information individuals with the same set of generated by someone else, with knowledge. Thus, those with less different purpose than the one we pursue. information and skills are more likely to “The fundamental difference between interact with those of their own level, these two approaches resides in the fact having no success pattern available to that the secondary analysis is applied 114 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013 directly to the quantified data already 95%, the accepted error limit is of 4%); collected and not to the words already 125 persons for Victoria (the guarantee written or spoken” [4, p. 102]. In addition probability of the results is of 95%, the to its low cost, secondary analysis has accepted error limit is of 4%); 600 persons several other advantages that make it a for each of these localities: Fagaras, useful research tool. Analysis of available Sacele, Rasnov, Zarnesti (the guarantee records may often be the only way to probability of the results is of 95%, the obtain quantitative data about the past accepted error limit is of 4%); 196 persons [8, p. 144-5]. for Cincu (the guarantee probability of the The statistics for the county has a results is of 95%, the accepted error limit volume of 3960 persons (the results’ is of 5%); similar to Cincu, the samples for guarantee probability is of 95%, the the other rural areas of the county have accepted error limit is of 1.5%). The been calculated as well. samples have been structured so as to gain representativeness at the level of each 4. Results and discussions administrative unit assessed within Brasov County. Social capital types and categories of issues prevailing in Brasov County are Table 1 explained in the Table 2 (see Annex). Level of each administrative unit in Brasov Bogdan Voicu [20] explains why the County bonding social capital is a constancy of former communist countries: strong Small urban 26% of the population 1030 confidence networks, often closed, limited Rural 24% of the population 950 to thin social groups or categories, appeared back in the period of Brasov 50% of the population 1980 communism, supplementing the irrationality of institutional organization, Total 100% 3960 the rarity created by this, and the state’s inability to provide various social services. The author quoted explains the A probabilistic sampling method has consequences of these processes: in been used, with unrepeated choices among Eastern European countries these remained the focus population. The following in a great proportion even after the changes sampling structure of the sample has been of regime from 1989-1991, contributing to concluded: 1980 persons, at the level of the presence of reduced confidence in Brasov City (the guarantee probability of institutions, substituted by the networks of the results is of 95%, the accepted error interests that thus acted as barriers in the limit is of 2,2%); 157 persons for Ghimbav way of social changes. The relation is (the guarantee probability of the results is simple in this case: the increased of 95%, the accepted error limit is of 4%); confidence in the affiliation group 177 persons for Codlea (the guarantee associated to mistrust in others (from other probability of the results is of 95%, the groups) and in institutions, tends to accepted error limit is of 4%); 125 persons reproduce, especially in the condition of a for Predeal (the guarantee probability of reduced economic performance. the results is of 95%, the accepted error However, it has to be said that most of limit is of 4%); 136 persons for Rupea (the the international studies targeted the guarantee probability of the results is of democratic countries rather than the ones C. COMAN: Research Findings on Social Capital and Matters in Brasov Community… 115 from the former communist bloc, which maintains the social norms in the fact makes it necessary to have more homogeneous communities that tend to contextualized studies before the have closed structure, with few exterior generalization of the bridging capital’s relations, which leads to the decrease of supremacy. Narcisa Grigorescu, in 1999, tolerance towards outsiders and to the underlined that in Romania, a great part of emphasizing of differences between in- the organizations, especially the localized group and out-group, which process is ones, are based on private confidence and called in the sociological literature “the not generalized confidence, therefore the disadvantage of the social capital” [16], bonding social capital can be, contextual, a [17]. Another disadvantage of the bonding foundation for civic mindedness [9]. social capital, demonstrated by recent The town Victoria is, even under the studies is the decreased participation at aspect of the type of social capital, an voting [10]. uncharacteristic case, being the only There is no consistent relation between locality from the county where the the variation of certain social bridging capital dominates. Whereas the circumstances and the public designation bridging social capital is connected to of said circumstance as social mater, as heterogeneous relations, between different said by the sociologic subjectivism. In the groups of individuals, we could find the view of this paradigm the objective focus explanation also in the history of Victoria, was mistaken when studying instead of the which over the time assumed the social matters certain social circumstances interaction of employees with an employer defined as problems by interested groups. of other ethnicity than Romanian. Also, the However, the subjective sociologists industrial hallmark of the town made an suggest the study of the processes by absorbing phenomenon of the working which certain social circumstances come to force from various regions of the country be publicly labeled as social matters. at the middle of the last century, which Social matters are thus redefined as altered the hallmark of the population in discourse, interactions, institutional Victoria. This fact creates a link with the practices by means of which certain American studies that confirmed the theory circumstances are defined as social of a reversed relation between the stability matters. Subsequently, theorists of social of neighborhood (measured as the median capital have considered this to have two of the number of years during which the dimensions: structural social capital (may residents live in vicinity) and the bonding be objectively verified and concerns what social capital, insofar as the stability of the people „do”: associationism, networks) neighborhood grows, the bonding social and cognitive social capital (may be capital decreases [3]. Furthermore, the subjectively verified and concerns what great number of young people gone abroad people „feel”: social cohesion, trust) to work, also contributed to the [7, p.501]. intensification of cultural exchange with The lack of trust in individuals or groups other countries, to an increased tolerance outside the family that makes any outside towards other groups and cultures than cooperation impossible is known as those affiliated, to creating new working „familial amorality” and is reflected in a opportunities, thus to a vertical diffusion of reduced capacity of a given community to power, welfare and prestige. organize itself to the end of creating public This type of capital promotes the assets, hence influencing the social instrumental and emotional support, and development of the community [2]. The 116 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013 large-scale inter-personal trust is which fact can be associated with a need associated with stable democracies [1]. for opening, towards interacting with Social capital has an impact on the welfare different social groups and implicitly of households in the underdeveloped towards the development of the bridging countries [11]. „Social capital reduces the social capital. likelihood of poverty and the income The spaces designed for spending free deriving from the investments made in the time represent pretexts for meeting and social capital are higher for the poor that developing confidence, social relations, in for the rest of the population” (Grootaert, more familiar environments, or at any case 1999). Social capital influences the rural less formalized, facilitating the appearance households’ income by means of five of community spirit where this is missing. mechanisms: The risk associated to the neglecting of this 1. social capital contributes to the element is the reduced impact on medium increase of public services’ effectiveness; and long term regarding the formation of 2. The communities that are rich in social social capital. In this sense we recommend capital have a better cooperation to the end setting up more leisure spaces in localities of creating joint/public assets; with an excessive developing risk for the 3. social capital favors the spreading of bonding social capital to the injury of the innovations; bridging capital: Braşov, Predeal, Săcele, 4. Social capital facilitates the access to Voila, Viştea, Ticuş, Prejmer, Feldioara, varying markets; Comana, Cincu. To the support of these 5. social capital may play the role of an conclusions comes the fact that from the informal insurance in what the risks total of these eight localities that invoke incurred through several live strategies are the lack of leisure spaces, there are five concerned, in particular, the economic where the bonding social capital dominates decisions of the household [apud 13]. (Braşov, Predeal, Săcele, Prejmer, The bonding social capital’s tendency to Feldioara). appear more eminently in rural environment can lead to a theory, also confirmed by 5. Conclusions international studies, according to which poor environments prefer the predominance Dasgupta (2000) points out that the of the bonding capital, because “the poor establishment and upkeep of strong know many akin in that place and have very relations within the group encourages the little ties with people from other places” [5]. delinquent and selfish behavior. This way The eminent appearance of the bonding may appear group interactions that affect social capital in the rural environment can be the common social welfare like Mafia, al- interpreted through a second theory as well, Qaeda, Ku Klux Klan (Fukuyama 1995; confirmed by recent studies: the lower social Portes 1998; Putnam 2000). To put it classes have fewer extensive social networks otherwise, in bonding type of structures the and more formal and informal intensive lack of connection between groups and social networks, which favors the communities weaken the collective predominant development of the bonding efficiency, making communities more social capital [14]. vulnerable to criminality. The issue of Out of the eight localities that require criminality and of social tensions appears tourism developing projects, in five on the social agenda of four out of the ten dominates the bonding social capital localities where the bonding social capital (Brasov, Predeal, Sacele, Vistea, Prejmer), C. COMAN: Research Findings on Social Capital and Matters in Brasov Community… 117 dominates (Cincu, Comana, Viştea, In Coleman’s rational pattern the Săcele) [apud 12]. choices, related to the manner in which one Bogdan Voicu [20] appreciates that in lives his life and relates to other, are based the localities oriented to agricultural on individual interest. The functions of production, the representatives of local social capital are thus shared values and authorities are considered by the locals as norms that sustain the social order. the main actors. They are the ones that can However, Putnam focuses on the role of lead developing projects, and the social networks, of mutual obligations of confidence they are often credited with the cooperative action. Bourdieu’s theory could be more useful than the uncertain on praxis renders a critical perspective position of an initiative group born out of oriented on the cohesive role of the norms the nothingness, being more efficient in and social networks, yet underlining the promoting the civic participation and ways in which social capital encourages generalized confidence, just like the and feeds the capitalist society and confidence in institutions. This strategy inequality [6, p. 3]. can be functional for localities that require developing projects in the agriculture area References (Predeal, Victoria, Viştea, Tărlungeni, Feldioara). 1. Almond, G. A., Verba, S.: The civic Specialized literature tends to give more culture. Political attitudes and credit to the bridging social capital than to democracy in five nations. Princeton. the bonding one, based on the idea that this Princeton University Press, 1963. is the one that boosts the economic growth 2. Banfield, E.: The Moral Basis of a and the social development (Putnam, Backward Society. New York. Free 2002), because the very strong personal Press, 1958. relations and friendships, the private world 3. Brisson, D. S., Usher, C. L.: with its close relations of kinship can Bonding Social Capital. Low-Income interfere with the public confidence and Neighborhoods. In: Family with the expectations according to which Relations, 54 (2005), 5, p. 644-653. public responsibility should contribute to 4. Chelcea, S.: Analiza secundară a the creation of common good [apud 19]. cercetărilor sociologice (Secondary If the positions of the two value options in Analysis of Sociological Research). the hierarchy, as well as the percentages of In: Sociologie, etică şi politică population preferring those values are at a socială (Sociology, Etics and Social great distance, a situation of imbalance has Politics), Constantinescu, C. (ed.). been identified, demonstrated in: bridging Piteşti. University Press Piteşti, type of dominant social capital (dominant 2001. position in the value ranking of confidence 5. Das, R. J.: Social capital and in people and a high percentage of poverty of the wage-labour class: population that chooses the confidence in problems with the social capital people to the injury of family safety), theory. In: Transactions of the bonding type of dominant social capital (a Institute of British Geographers, 29 dominant position in the family security (2004), p. 27–45. value ranking, and high percentage of 6. Edwards, R., Franklin, J., Holland, population that chooses family safety to J. (ed.): Assessing social capital: the injury of confidence in people). Concept, policy and practice. Cambridge. Scholars Press, 2006. 118 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Series VII • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013

7. Fujisawa, Y., Hamano, T., Takegawa, social capital. In: Social Science & S.: Social capital and perceived health Medicine, 63 (2006), 1, p. 255-270. in Japan: an ecological and multilevel 16. Portes, A., Landolt, P.: The downside analysis. In: Social Science & of social capital. In: American Medicine, 69 (2009), 4, p. 500-505. Prospect, 26 (1996), p. 18-22. 8. Gray, P. S., Williamson, J.B., Karp, 17. Putnam, R.: Bowling Alone. New D.A., Dalphin, J. R.: The Research York. Simon and Schuter, 2000. Imagination. An Introduction to 18. Rubington, E., Weinberg, M. S.: The Qualitative and Quantitative Methods. Study of Social Problems (4th edition). Cambridge. Cambridge University New York; Oxford. Oxford University Press, 2007. Press, 1989. 9. Grigorescu, N.: Asociaţiile 19. Sampson, R. J., Raudenbush, S.: (Associations). In: Feţele schimbării. Systematic Social Observation of Românii şi provocările tranziţiei (The Public Spaces: A New Look at faces of change. Romanians and the Disorder in Urban Neighborhoods. In: transition challenges), Berevoescu, I., American Journal of Sociology, 105 Chiribucă, D., Comşa, M. I., Grigorescu, (1999), p. 603-651. N. and Lăzăroiu, A. A (ed.). Nemira, 20. Voicu, B.: Capitalul social ca premisă Bucureşti, 1999, p. 160-165. a dezvoltării durabile (Social Capital 10. Hill, K. Q., Matsubayashi, T.: Civic as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Engagement and Mass–Elite Policy Development). In: Calitatea vieţii Agenda Agreement in American (Quality of Life), 19 (2008a), 1–2, Communities. In: The American p. 85–105. Political Science Review, 99 (2005), 2, 21. Voicu, B.: Riscurile politicilor de p. 215-224. dezvoltare bazate pe formarea 11. Knack, S.: Social capital, growth, and capitalului social (Risks Development poverty: a survey of cross-country Policies Based on Social Capital evidence. In: Social Capital Initiative, Formation). In: Sociologie Washington, 1999. Românească (Romanian Sociology), 12. Lee, R.: Social capital and business and 1(2008b), p. 11-25. management: Setting a research agenda. 22. Voicu, B.: Capital social (Social In: International Journal of Management Capital). In: Dicţionar de sărăcie (The Reviews, 11 (2009), 3, p. 247–273. Poverty Dictionary), Zamfir, C. (ed.). 13. Narayan, D.: Bonds and Bridges: Available at: Social Capital and Poverty. http://www.iccv.ro/oldiccv/romana/ Washington. World Bank – Poverty dictionar/bog/bog_capsoc.htm. 2003. Group, 1999. Accesed: 21.07.2010 14. Pichler, F., Wallace, C.: Social Capital 23. Woolcock, M., Narayan, D.: Social and Social Class in Europe: The Role of Capital: Implications for Social Networks in Social Stratification. Development Theory. In: Research, In: European Sociological Review, 5 and Policy. World Bank Research (2008), No.3, p. 319-332. Observer, 15 (2000), 2, p. 225-250. 15. Poortinga, W.: Social relations or social capital? Individual and community health effects of bonding

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Annex

Social capital type and categories of issues prevailing in Brasov County Table 2

Area Trust in people/ Bonding/ Social issues’ category Family safety Bridging

Bran Trust in people= 3rd Tends to Public services, social services, place (11%) equilibrium administrative services, tourism, Family safety =2nd development, political administrative place (17%) class. Cincu Trust in people=4th bonding (big Public services, administrative place (7%) differences) services, tourism, development, Family safety =2nd place criminality, political administrative (28%) class. Comana Trust in people=7th bonding (big Public services, social services, place (5%) differences) administrative services, housing, Family safety =1st place economic development, criminality, (31%) political administrative class. Feldioara Fears of the personal bonding Public services, social services, admi- and family life = (73%) (differences) nistrative services, tourism, economic fears related to social development, agriculture, life= (28%) environment, political administrative class. Fundata Trust in people = 3rd Tends to Public services, social services, place (15%) S Family equilibrium administrative services, tourism. safety =2nd place (23%) Harman Trust in people = 3rd equilibrium Public services, social services, place (12%) tourism, political administrative class, Family safety = 3rd social tensions. place (14%) Moieciu Trust in people = 3rd Tends to Public services, social services, place (11%) equilibrium administrative services, tourism. Family safety =2nd place(19%) Prejmer Fears of the personal bonding Public services, social services, and family life = (57%) (differences) tourism, entertainment, economic fears related to social development. life= (39%) Tărlungeni Trust in people = 3rd equilibrium Public services, administrative place (12%) services, entertainment, agriculture, Family safety =3rd place social tensions, criminality. (12%) Ticuş Trust in people =7th bonding Public services, social services. place (9%) (differences) Family safety =1st place (20%)

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Area Trust in people/ Bonding/ Social issues’ category Family safety Bridging

Viştea Trust in people =7th bonding (big Public services, administrative place (3%) differences) services, Agriculture, Tourism, Family safety =2nd place economic development, social (24%) tensions, political administrative class. Voila Trust in people =7th bonding (big Public services, administrative place (1%) differences) services, political administrative class. Family safety =3rd place (23%) Victoria Trust in people =3rd bridging Public services, administrative place (15%) (differences) services, Agriculture, Tourism, Family safety =4th place environment, political administrative (5%) class. Săcele Trust in people =4th bonding Public and social services, place (7%) (differences) administrative services, social Family safety =2nd place tensions, tourism, economic (21%) development, entertainment. Predeal Fears of the personal bonding Public and social services, and family life = (65%) (differences) administrative services, tourism, fears related to social leisure, political administrative life = (35%) services, development. Codlea Trust in people =3rd equilibrium Public and social services, place (13%) administrative services, tourism, Family safety =2nd place leisure, living conditions. (16%) Braşov Trust in people =4th bonding Public and social services, place (7%) (differences) administrative services, tourism, Family safety =2nd place Economic development, leisure. (21%)