ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the research findings that indicated higher levels of social capital in more walkable neighborhoods, and the broader implications of both the methods and findings. Social capital has many community related implications but is often measured through research approaches in isolation from the subjects being studied. Community based participatory research (CBPR), often employed by health researchers, is gaining traction in other fields and disciplines as a powerful and legitimate research tool. This tool also provides the means to both measure and build community social capital. CBPR was used as a guiding framework to understand the relationship among measures of social capital and the built environment within the context of sustainability in New Hampshire municipalities. Wherever the study, CBPR can be a powerful guiding force for conducting community development work to better understand and utilize social capital.
