Social Capital and Stability Operations

Abstract

Values and interests of the United States are advanced through stability operations in foreign states, regions, or nations. Stability operations, facilitated through efforts by the United States Government (USG), assist local populations with establishing peace, democracy, and market economies in a secure, well-governed environment. Social capital -- defined as an instantiated set of informal values or norms that permit cooperation between two or more individuals -- refers to community trust, norms, and networks that link justice, security and public safety, economic prosperity, governance, and social well-being to each other. A state's levels of trust and reciprocity, the nature, extent, and types of its social networks, and the relationship and strength of those networks and institutions affect the ability of the USG to implement stability operations doctrine. The main conclusion of this research effort is that social capital is the bridge between stability operations policy and implementation, a concept which - if considered - could prevent the failure of stability operations in weak, failed, or fragile states.

Document Details

• Document Type: Technical Report
• Publication Date: Mar 26, 2008
• Accession Number: ADA500576

Entities

People

• M. A. Evans

Organizations

• United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Biomedical
• Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Commerce
• Department Of State
• Doctrine
• Failed States
• Families (Human)
• Governments
• Interagency Coordination
• International Organizations
• Market Economy
• Military Science
• National Governments
• National Politics
• National Security
• Public Policy
• United States
• United States Government
• War Colleges

Readers

• Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
• East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
• Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.