Social Capital in Arab Countries: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

Purpose- This study focuses on social capital, which has gained popularity as a multifaceted concept in economic, political, and social disciplines. There are three social capital dimensions: bonding, bridging, and linking. In this study, we focus on bonding and bridging social capital due to their implications for individuals, the community, and the country. We examine bonding social capital in the Arab Middle East countries, taking the region's economic social, and political composition into account. Methodology- Building on data from the World Values Survey, we examine different proxies of both social capital dimensions in Arab countries. We aim to facilitate an understanding of different social capital dimensions and comprehend their implications for the social, political, and economic development of Arab countries. Conclusion- The emphasis of traditional economic theories has shifted from orthodox factors of production to the importance of factors such as an educated workforce, and sociocultural factors such as a country's social development, and cultural structure, in addition to factors such as social interactions, social capital, trust, cooperation, and tolerance.