社會資本（Social Capital）：概念、緣起及現況

Abstract

社會資本 ] 在近二十年來已躍然成為一個熱門的分析概念。然而，社會資本在學界受到的重視也對其概念的運作與理論的整合造成困擾。本文企圖從三個不同但卻有相關的角度來了解社會資本。首先，筆者嘗試匯集與解讀三位公認的社會資本理論家社會資本的闡述並歸納其共同點。其次，筆者從學術與時代背景來探索社會資本的源起。第三，藉由筆者對社會資本定義的蒐集與文獻整理，探討當前社會資本研究領域的特徵。本文的發現與論點可歸納如下 : 首先，社會資本是指所有蘊含在社會關係內的資源 ; 個體與總體的分析層次皆可使用之。其次，由對社會資本概念的源起之探索得知寫不是一個嶄新的概念，而是承繼傳統社會思想並呼應當代歷史的產物。再者，當前社會資本的研究文獻中存在兩派不同的研究焦點 : 其中一派是以社會學家為首，他們關注社會資本在理性個體行動者間的運作 ; 另一派則以政治學者為代表，他們重視社會資本的集體面向。兩派皆對吾人了解社會關係與社會行為有所貢獻，可是二者未來能否整合，前景並不明朗。

Social capital` has been a very popular analytical concept for the past two decades. However, the growing interest in social capital has also caused a problem regarding the appropriate use of the concept and its theoretical integration. This article intends to understand social capital from three different, but related aspects. First, the author tries to review three of the most commonly recognized theorists` ideas on social capital and summarize their similarities. Second, the origins of the concept is researched from both academic and historical background. Thrid, through a survey social capital definition and literature reviews, the author explores the characteristics of modern social capital research. The findings of the article can be summarized as follows. First, social capital is a resource embedded in social relations. It can be applied to both individual and aggregate levels of analysis. Second, social capital is not a brand new concept, but a product of both traditional social thought and historical development. Third, a theoretical divide exists in the study of social capital. On the one hand, sociologists see social capital operating among rational individuals; on the other hand, political scientists treat social capital as a collectively-owned resource. Both camps contribute to our understanding of social relations and behavior. However, the prospect of integration between the two camps is still not clear.