Social Networks, Social Capital, Together With Social Class
Will Barratt
How are social networks related to social class? In the simplest query form, practice social networks promote social shape drive or practice they promote the reproduction of social class. Bourdieu, inwards Forms of Capital (1986) outlines social upper-case missive of the alphabet . "Social upper-case missive of the alphabet is the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of to a greater extent than or less institutionalized relationships of usual acquaintance together with recognition – or inwards other words, to membership inwards a group." Social networks are a formalized together with structuralized fashion to practice together with maintain social capital. A minute distinction must hold upwards added here, that of prestige social capital. Social upper-case missive of the alphabet amid 1 group, for instance amid membership together with leadership inwards a union, does non accept the same utility together with prestige equally social upper-case missive of the alphabet amid investment bankers. Both forms of upper-case missive of the alphabet serve a purpose, together with both groups, the matrimony together with the bankers, accept access to resources that tin hold upwards used for usual advantage. However, the aggregate perceived prestige of the social upper-case missive of the alphabet of the bankers is higher than the aggregate perceived prestige of the matrimony members together with leaders. Further, the types together with amount of resources that each social grouping has is dissimilar inwards of import ways.
To reframe the question: Do people work social networking to practice to a greater extent than prestige social capital, enhancing their social upper-case missive of the alphabet together with consequently their social class. Do people work social netowrking to reinforce their existing social capital, reproducing social class? I believe that the answser to both of these questions is yes. Social networking is a Yes, together with . . . activity. I am certain that a unopen together with nuanced hold off at dissimilar types of social networking sights volition give away around of import differences. After all, Facebook is dissimilar than LinkedIn inwards many ways.
For me Facebook, together with directly Google+, are ways to maintain inwards comport upon amongst my friends together with students. I am friends amongst most of my onetime students, together with accept like shooting fish in a barrel been adding people from my past times amongst whom I had lost touch, together with it is a regular component division of establishing novel relationships. After a trip to campuses inwards Thailand I added 6 novel friends on facebook.
For me LinkedIn is odd. My social upper-case missive of the alphabet needs are met through FB or email. It is interesting to hold upwards inwards LinkedIn only for me does non growth my social capital. However, I locomote along to become random requests to hold upwards added past times people who I don't already know. Perhaps this is the betoken of LinkedIn, together with it is lost on me. I am hardly the international human being of mystery, together with tin hardly heighten someone's social capital, together with hence what payoff is in that place to others inwards linking upwards amongst me. I tin alone assume that linking amongst me enhances their social capital.
Seen from this perspective, e-mail has the payoff equally a social network tool. I regularly become notes from people I don't nevertheless know. People are ofttimes curious, or occasionally contentious, close what I accept written, or what they intend I accept written, together with shipping me an email. I write back, edifice a relationship, enhancing both of our social connections together with potential capital. I volition also volition occasionally write to someone who I don't nevertheless know asking a query on their writing together with if a human relationship emerges, this has enhanced both of our social capital.
I cannot aid only accept a vision of people intentionally using social networks to construct their social upper-case missive of the alphabet for personal advantage. I know that this reflects my perception of the business office of that social networking software, together with reflects my lack of wishing to hold upwards 'collected' for social upper-case missive of the alphabet reasons.
Bourdieu, P. (1986) The forms of capital. In J. Richardson (Ed.) Handbook of Theory together with Research for the Sociology of Education (New York, Greenwood), 241-258.