ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. This book represents a collection of applied case studies by researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds and research perspectives, addressing social capital issues ranging in scope from a few small communities to the world at large. It also discusses the fields where social capital research has occurred, including sociology, planning, public administration, political science, management, and economics, have often worked in relative isolation from one another. The book attempts to synthesize different viewpoints by drawing from a range of disciplines dealing with community resource issues, calling on the authors to address common questions about social capital formation, research, and policy. While the social capital literature is expanding into many diverse fields, we attempt to provide a unique focus on smaller and/or rural communities.
