Rural Resilience and Prosperity

Society centred interpretations of social capital§are inadequate to explain the economic fortunes and§social prosperity of rural Australian communities.§This research sought to assess the relationship§between different interpretations of social capital§and rural communities resilience and prosperity.§The primary objective was to test the association§asserted between levels of social capital and§prosperity and resilience in the rural Australian§context. §The research highlights three notable issues.§Surveying social capital with society-centred§approaches is only effective in establishing the well§being of communities which relates to their§resilience, not an ability to prosper. Secondly, the§responsibilities for social capital generation§adopted by governments dictates the manner and degree§to which they acknowledge and utilise bridging and§linking networks, affecting the role social capital§is perceived to play in communities. Lastly, while §social capital is regarded as a normative social§factor, rather than being comprised of different and§dynamic elements affecting communities ability to§prosper, the concept will remain unable to§effectively contribute to the policy domain.