Children’s Social Capital: A Reflection of Children’s Networks.
“You are the sum total of the people you meet and interact with in the world. Whether it’s your family, peers, or co-workers, the opportunities that you have or the things that you learn all come through doors that other people open for you” (Colby, 2012). The Oxford dictionary explains social capital to be “the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively”. In this essay we will firstly going to define social capital and in the main hoe this social capital can be defined in a children’s context. Secondly, we will be focusing on the views put forward by Madeline Leonard in her exploration of “Children, …show more content…
Colman (1988) uses the term “intergenerational closure” by ways of highlighting the presence or absence of links among parents. These links, as Colman sees it, represents the relationship between parents and children and whether this relationship is effective or ineffective socialization. Colman (1988: S10) goes on to identify three types of capital in the ideal family. Firstly financial is deemed important, enabling families to acquire the means to forward achievement. Secondly, human capital, which can be found in adult’s educational background, can allow children the access to educational success and the third important capital, in Colman’s view, is social capital, which he believes resides in the bonds between adults and their children within the family. Colman believes social capital to be the most important of the three, stating that a family rich in social capital will be beneficiary in gaining human and financial capital levels. A high rise in social capital, leading to higher human and financial capital, will enable children to benefit from their …show more content…
In their study they sampled children aged between seven and sixteen and found that having a broadband Internet subscription in their home could in fact increase the levels of children’s out-of school activities, such as, joining a club, sports events or music and dance lessons. There findings were that in one hand using the Internet for mostly passive entertainment (similar to television) will indeed crowd children’s social participation, alternatively, there were many positives for using the Internet. The information function of the Internet meant that children were able to find information on social events, civic interaction and volunteer
“You are the sum total of the people you meet and interact with in the world. Whether it’s your family, peers, or co-workers, the opportunities that you have or the things that you learn all come through doors that other people open for you” (Colby, 2012). The Oxford dictionary explains social capital to be “the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively”. In this essay we will firstly going to define social capital and in the main hoe this social capital can be defined in a children’s context. Secondly, we will be focusing on the views put forward by Madeline Leonard in her exploration of “Children, …show more content…
Colman (1988) uses the term “intergenerational closure” by ways of highlighting the presence or absence of links among parents. These links, as Colman sees it, represents the relationship between parents and children and whether this relationship is effective or ineffective socialization. Colman (1988: S10) goes on to identify three types of capital in the ideal family. Firstly financial is deemed important, enabling families to acquire the means to forward achievement. Secondly, human capital, which can be found in adult’s educational background, can allow children the access to educational success and the third important capital, in Colman’s view, is social capital, which he believes resides in the bonds between adults and their children within the family. Colman believes social capital to be the most important of the three, stating that a family rich in social capital will be beneficiary in gaining human and financial capital levels. A high rise in social capital, leading to higher human and financial capital, will enable children to benefit from their …show more content…
In their study they sampled children aged between seven and sixteen and found that having a broadband Internet subscription in their home could in fact increase the levels of children’s out-of school activities, such as, joining a club, sports events or music and dance lessons. There findings were that in one hand using the Internet for mostly passive entertainment (similar to television) will indeed crowd children’s social participation, alternatively, there were many positives for using the Internet. The information function of the Internet meant that children were able to find information on social events, civic interaction and volunteer