Bonding-only social capital can deepen instead of heal racial division

Evidence

If we had a golden magic wand that would miraculously create more bridging social capital, we would surely want to use it. But suppose we had only an aluminum magic wand that could create more social capital, but only of a bonding sort. This second-best magic wand would bring more blacks and more whites to church, but not to the same church, more Hispanics and Anglos to the soccer field, but not the same soccer field. Should we use it? As political scientist Eileen McDonagh has put the point vividly: “Is it better to have neighborhoods legally restricted on the basis of race, but with everyone having everyone else over for dinner, or is it better to have neighborhoods unrestricted on the basis of race, but with very little social interaction going on between neighbors?” That was the dilemma embodied in the busing controversy. If we ignore it, our efforts to reinvigorate community in America may simply lead to a more divided society. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1291

Categorization

• SEED: An essay angle: the aluminum wand test as a usable framework for evaluating any integration or community-building policy by whether it generates bridging or mere bonding ties.
• XREF: connects to: Social capital both retains residents and can worsen discrimination after disasters — John Drury and Evangelos Ntontis, A SOCIAL IDENTITY MODEL OF COLLECTIVE…, 13; Social capital serves harmful as well as beneficial ends — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1099; Social capital divides into bonding and bridging forms that aid cooperation. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 48 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Championing community inadvertently strengthens exclusionary bonding over inclusive bridging ties #exemplifies (0.90) — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1443
• Social capital divides into bonding and bridging forms that aid cooperation. #expands (0.85) — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 48
• Chain migration creates ethnic concentration by embedding arrivals in social capital networks #exemplifies (0.75)