Social Capital in Kungsmarken : An overview of influencing factors in Karlskrona, Sweden

• Main Author: Lewis, Susanna
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för planering och mediedesign 2010
• Subjects: Social Capital; Trust; Participation; Robert Putnam; Jane Jacobs; RESTATE; Million Homes Program; Kungsmarken; Karlskrona; Sweden
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-1118

This thesis is a quest to identify the factors that influence social capital in one spatially isolated, multi-ethnic neighborhood, Kungsmarken. The commonly held view that many Modernist-style housing estates have evolved into dead-end areas that breed social ills and require endless outside assistance (Jane Jacobs), does not contain the whole truth. A fraction of this complex problem will be tackled in this thesis. The study case of Kungsmarken in Karlskrona, Sweden, is studied to better understand the links between an area’s physical structure, demographics, socio-cultural trends, economy, and social capital. By analyzing these various potential factors, interviewing the residents and other key persons, and examining public statistics, the author draws several conclusions. One main conclusion is that the social capital developments in Kungsmarken can be directly linked to the broad economic trends in the municipality. Other conclusions include that while the physical structure is a hindrance, trust and close relationships still exist between the residents, which indicates that social capital exists there. The ultimate objective of this study is to identify and explain the factors that either help or hinder the development of social in Kungsmarken.