Social Capital and its Impact on Community Development in Rural and Urban Areas

The study will be directed to the role of social capital in influencing community development of the rural and urban communities using the mixed method research design. Quantitative analysis revealed statistical positive relation between the dimensions of social capital, namely trust, social networks, civic participations, and reciprocity, and the most crucial indicators of community development, namely, economic participation, accessibility of services, social cohesion, and good governance. The bonding social capital was higher in the rural areas and this significantly enhanced collective action and resilience of the community, whereas the bridging and connecting social capital in urban areas was superior and hence provided access to institutions and economic mobility. The performance was enhanced when the qualitative studies helped to explain the influence of contextual factors, including population density, institutional presence, and cultural norms on development and utilization of social capital. As has been observed comparatively, societies that have an optimal mix of bonding, bridging and linking social capital have enjoyed better sustainable and equitable developmental outcomes compared to those that depend on one type. The paper concludes that social capital is the tool that plays significant roles in mobilizing resources as well as in alleviating social risks and increment of community development. The results are applicable in providing information to politicians and development professionals who wish to devise mechanisms that would employ social capital in improving community development in different destinations.