Explaining Social Capital Formation in a Hinterlands Context: The Case of Carriacou, Grenada

Abstract

Abstract Strong supportive organizations and interpersonal networks are taken to be instrumental for increasing social groups’ ability to actuate collective interests and build problem-solving capacity. Primary survey data from the island hinterlands area of Carriacou, Grenada, are used to test how key determinants of social capital in developed nations – supportive organizational efficacy, civic organization participation, social interaction, and socio-demographic characteristics – influence the normative dimension of social capital in a developing setting. Results indicate that perceptions of government efficacy and education enhance both measures of social capital in this island hinterland, while different indicators of social interaction display independent influences on each. This study concludes that hinterland settings such as Carriacou exhibit significantly different causes of social capital formation than found in other sectors of the world system.