Social Capital in American Life [Hardcover]

Embarking from a model of social capital hinging upon four social structureswork, family, social networks, and voluntary associationsBrian Jones empirically examines the widespread claims that American society is becoming less sociable, trusting, and cooperative. Breaking down datasets drawn from the General Social Survey (conducted 27 times from 1972 to 2008), Social Capital in American Life depicts the social values drawn from the four established social structures, as well as their interrelationships, their determinants, and ultimately their social capital, through a series of statistical and econometric methods. This rigorous, empirically driven analysis reveals how American society both confirms and repudiates fears about decreased cooperation given different cases and parameters. 

Chapter 1. What Are They Thinking?

Chapter 2. The Model of Social Capital

Chapter 3. Work and Job Satisfaction

Chapter 4. Family and Family Satisfaction

Chapter 5. Voluntary Association and Trust

Chapter 6. Social Networks and Happiness

Chapter 7. Social Capital and Social Inequality

Chapter 8. Media Matters

Chapter 9. E Pluribus Duo

Chapter 10. Social Capital in American Life

Brian J. Jones is Professor of Sociology at Villanova University, USA. He is the author of Social Capital in America (2011) and co-author of Sociology: Micro, Macro, and Mega Structures (1995) and Social Problems: Issues, Opinions, and Solutions (1988). 

Is American society falling apart?

Put this provocative question to people you know and you will encounter a disturbing number of affirmative answers. But beyond such emotilo