"Social capital," a new idea gaining worldwide recognition, is explored in this book through studies of education, health, political science, urban regeneration, and economic development. Providing a unique overview of the topic, together with critical discussion of its application in a wide variety of fields, the volume offers the first full critical analysis of social capital, written by academics, professionals and policy specialists who are all distinguished and prominent contributors in their own fields.

Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students. Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, commentaries and key readings - all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible two-dimensional structure is built around four sections - introduction, development, exploration and extension - which offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can also be read across these sections, enabling the reader to build gradually on the knowledge...

This book confirms the significance of social capital as an analytical tool, while challenging the basis on which current policy is being developed. It offers a wealth of evidence on a topic that has become central to contemporary government; provides a detailed empirical investigation of the relationship between social capital, knowledge creation and lifelong learning; relates the findings to wider policy debates; questions the dominant theoretical models of social capital; and confronts the assumption of many policy makers that the obvious solution to social problems is to 'invest in social...