Meritocrazia e capitale sociale individuale
Most of the main theories about individual social capital – intended as the ensemble of resources that are embedded in someone’s network that can be mobilized for purposive instrumental action – developed in the last years are based upon researches set in United States of America. Even if it is logi...
Enregistré dans:
| Dans: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/qds, |
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| Auteur principal: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Langue: | Italien |
| Publié: |
Quaderni di Sociologia
2016
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| Accès en ligne: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Résumé: | Most of the main theories about individual social capital – intended as the ensemble of resources that are embedded in someone’s network that can be mobilized for purposive instrumental action – developed in the last years are based upon researches set in United States of America. Even if it is logical to presume the existence of deep cultural and institutional differences between different countries, very often the hypotheses founded on American researches and data are accepted “as they are” even relating to very different social contexts. In this paper, I will consider how the cultural differences between the original setting of an important theory of social capital and another social context with a different dominant social and ethical norms may deeply alter the theory’s contents themselves. More precisely, I expect that the correlation between social status of the actor/ instrumental quality of network resources/ social heterogeneity of contacts (cfr. Campbell et al., 1986 ) may not find confirmation in a country like Italy, where the role of meritocracy in careers’ advancement is not yet considered a decisive factor, and the influence of recommendation and other unmeritocratic approaches is very strong in many different selection processes. A less ethically oriented social and economic culture, in fact, could require different exploitation strategies of social resources from the local actors. I will test this hypothesis using the data gathered by a social survey conducted between Spring and Fall of 2007 in the northern Italian city of Turin. The survey’s sample consisted in around 300 young men and women from a series of post-university formative courses of particular excellence. The main objective of the research project was to investigate and analyze the possible persistence of class privileges in the form of exclusive social capital advantages, and for such purpose was used a combination of the most recent social capital measuring instruments. As was hypothesized, the results of the survey reveal significant divergences from Campbell’s theory in the social resources strategies adopted by Italian citizens for their instrumental actions, especially from the point of view of the relationship between the social status of the actor and the value of diversity and density of his network. In fact, the interviewed subjects from wealthier social background result provided with less heterogeneous and more closed social ties. Homophily mechanisms may only partially explain such situation. I believe that these differences are a direct consequence of the particular Italian socio-cultural profile: the difficulties encountered by trying to achieve professional and social objectives only upon their actual values and merits compel the actors to rely on closer and more trustworthy contacts, like the family related ones. |
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