ABSTRACT
In recent years scholars and policymakers have become increasingly interested in the notion that a vibrant civic culture1 is an important ingredient for such varied goals as economic development, democratization, and post-conflict reconciliation. The promise of social capital and civic life for facilitating normatively positive outcomes is perhaps most clearly reflected in the idea that a strong civil society makes society as a whole more peaceful. For instance, the World Bank’s project on Community-Driven Reconstruction as an Instrument in War-to-Peace Transitions suggests that “in the aftermath of conflict and to make peace sustainable, countries face even stronger imperatives to rebuild social capital, empower and provide voice to communities, and generally rebuild the social fabric torn apart by violent conflict” (Bannon 2003: iii, emphasis added).2 One Bank research paper claims not only that social capital “can have a major impact on the income and welfare of the poor by improving the outcome of activities that affect them,” but also “is a key factor in recovering from ethnic conflict and coping with political transition” (Grootaert and van Bastelaer 2001: xi).
