ABSTRACT
Based on the cross-case analysis of 30 investigated civil society organizations (CSOs), this chapter argues that social capital can be generated in the short term. It analyzes criteria of social capital on the individual and public level and those related to structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of social capital. Among contributing factors to social capital, the chapter identified the following as the most relevant for the investigated cases: intentionality of creating social connections, aspiring towards a shared goal, value congruence, consistent organizational behavior, offering room for international students’ initiatives, flexibility of the CSO's schedule, relaxed and informal organizational practices, having active or highly active international student members, intrinsic interest in the activity, and effective coordination among the actors. Obstacles to social capital formation included the exclusion of international students from planning and decision making at CSOs, pressure to volunteer, mismatch of motivations between the actors, misalignment of values and lack of adequate mitigation, CSOs’ preference for one-time events, international students’ temporary stay in Japan and the absence of a coordinating organization for CSOs supporting international students. The chapter also touches upon changes in social capital during the COVID-19 era. The findings reaffirm the possibility of social capital generation in the short term in socially heterogeneous groups.
