ABSTRACT
This paper reviews the origins and definitions of social capital in the writings ofBourdieu, Loury, and Coleman, among other authors. It distinguishes four sources of social capital and ex amines their dynamics. Applications of the concept in the sociologicalliterature emphasize its role in social control, in family support, and in benefits mediated by extrafamilial networks. I provide examples of each ofthese positive functions. Negative consequences ofthe same processes also deserve attention for a balanced picture of the forces at play. I review four such consequences and illustrate them with relevant examples. Recent writings on social capital have extended the concept from an individual asset to a feature of communities and even nations. The final sections describe this conceptual stretch and examine its !imitations. I argue that, as shorthand for the positive consequences of sociability, social capital has adefinite place in sociological theory. However, excessive extensions of the concept may jeopardize its heuristic value.
