Social Capital As a Survial Strategy: The Case of El Bab Villagers in Syria

In the past few years increasing voices from the development community had asserted the importance of social capital as an effective agent for change for diverse development outcomes.Culture, norms, and trust that are embedded within the structure of social networks as the literature asserts, are the chief factors for facilitating reciprocal and mutually beneficial interactions, while lowering transaction costs and restraining opportunism. This book presents research conducted in El Bab villages in Syria to investigate forms and impact of social capital in light of the many challenges facing Syrian rural populations. The sector's challenges are mainly due to climatic shocks, land fragmentation and scarcity of water resources, in addition to the new challenges that will arise once the gradual liberalization of Syria's economy is complete. Policy recommendations addressing policy makers and development practitioners call for investing on social ties, forging partnerships with development organizations, as well as drawing special attention to analyzing macro- micro linkages to address development challenges and sustainability issues.