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Newcomers, Generations Here, and Transients: Using Community Capitals to Build Progressive Participation for a Better Community Cornelia Butler Flora Distinguished.

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Presentation on theme: "Newcomers, Generations Here, and Transients: Using Community Capitals to Build Progressive Participation for a Better Community Cornelia Butler Flora Distinguished."— Presentation transcript:

1 Newcomers, Generations Here, and Transients: Using Community Capitals to Build Progressive Participation for a Better Community Cornelia Butler Flora Distinguished Professor of Sociology Emeritus Iowa State University Research Professor, Kansas State University cflora@iastate.edu

2 Capital = Resources invested to create new resources over a long time horizon

3 Political Capital Cultural Capital Natural Capital Human Capital Financial Capital Social Capital Built Capital Economic Security Social Inclusion Healthy Ecosystem

4 Community composition (Community Time) Great grandparents cemetery Parents graduate from the local high school Born in the town Received all schooling in town Moved to town while in school Moved to town as adults, but children born there Moved to town as adults, no children Moved to town in the last few years

5 Community time is mediated by Race/ethnicity Gender/marital status Religion Children in school Language/accent Occupation

6 Components of migration: Push factors –Social Capital (disintegration of the social fabric and violence) War and insurgence Criminal gangs Individual vendettas –Financial capital Not able to make an adequate living Fear of loosing assets –Cultural capital Part of a cultural minority –Political capital Fear of oppression, imprisonment or punishment –Human capital Health problems Desire for education –Natural capital Flooding Drought Clean water not available for humans, animals or crops –Built capital Dwelling, other material possessions destroyed or appropriated

7 Components of migration: Pull factors Social capital –Networks of kin, co-religionists, or community members in place Financial capital –Employment opportunities –Investment opportunities Cultural capital –Shared values with the receiving community –Belief that the destination is “the land of opportunity” Political capital –Freedom from oppression –Seeking asylum Human capital –Educational opportunities –Health opportunities Natural capital –Climate more benign –Similarities to home Built capital –ICT –Access to collective infrastructure

8 Air Water Soils Biodiversity Landscape Natural capital provides the possibilities & limits of human action. Natural Capital

9 Cultural Capital Symbols Cosmovisión Ways of knowing Language Ways of being Ways of doing Cultural capital is how we see the world, what we value & what can be changed. Cultural hegemony devalues cultural capital of the poor & their knowledge of how to manage natural resources

10 Legalists, Pluralists, Pragmatists We hear people talking now about “rule of law”, but the rule of law does not mean that we slavishly follow laws that make no sense. If we did that, women would not be voting, and Jim Crow laws and Prohibition would still be in effect. In fact, the Bible has something to say about this kind of laws: “Woe to the legislators of infamous laws, to those who issue tyrannical decrees, who refuse justice to the unfortunate and cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey, and rob the orphan.” Isaiah 10: 1-2

11 Human Capital education skills health self-esteem, self-efficacy time The characteristics and potentials of individuals that are determined by the intersection of nature (genetics) and nurture (determined by social interactions and environment)

12 Migrants human capital Higher than in sending community in terms of –Education –Skills –Health status –Financial assets BUT very pressed for time

13 Social Capital mutual trust reciprocity groups collective identity sense of shared future working together The interactions among individuals that occur with a degree of frequency and comfort. Bonding social capital consists of interactions within specific groups and bridging social capital consists of interactions among social groups. Trust and Group Power: “In Unity there is Strength”

14 Social capital Importance of family and village networks for migration (job or business related) Little trust and interaction with other minority business people Few are members of Chambers of Commerce and relations are often unsatisfactory Owner-managers seek help from accountants, lawyers, and bankers (bridging) Latino businesses serve primarily Latino clientele

15 Dimensions of Social Capital: Implications for Community Development Bridging + - Bonding - + Clientalism Community change driven by goals of outsiders Progressive Participation Communiyl change driven by community-determined goals Extreme individualism Rich solve problems through financial capital Poor have few options Strong Boundaries Communities resists change, often groups within the regions don’t trust each other and do not cooperate

16 Circular Migration Seasonal Non-Seasonal low-wage labor Professionals, academics and transnational entrepreneurs

17 Political Capital Organization Controversy accepted Connections Voice Power Civic engagement Political capital is the ability of a group to influence standards, regulations and enforcement of those regulations that determine the distribution of resources and the ways they are used.

18 Political Capital Voice and Power People share a vision for a prosperous community and are organized and work together All know and feel comfortable around powerful people as well as those often excluded Access to resources for all is part of the political agenda Democracy thrives

19 Positive immigration reform-in the U.S. Challenges : –Overcoming political paralysis to reform US immigration policy –Implementing a new immigration plan that includes new technology and policy –Socially, civically, and economically integrating immigrants and their children who are already in the United States

20 THE INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS: The Policy Context for Localities Local efforts may be compounded by the large number of recent arrivals and local governance structure No uniform set of policies and programs to aid in the social, economic, and political incorporation of immigrants Local action, i.e., day labor, language policies, occupancy policies, local police enforcement offer fragmented response Immigrant integration operates at the local level

21 Financial Capital savings debt capital investment capital tax revenue tax credits grants Forms of currency used to increase capacity of the unit that accesses it. Financial capital is often privileged because it is easy to measure, and there is a tendency to put other capitals into financial capital terms.

22 Appropriately diverse and healthy economies reduced poverty increased firm efficiency increased firm diversity increased assets of local people.

23 Financial capital Often previous experience in business in Mexico or other parts of the U.S. Capital from business or home ownership in previous location used to purchase local business Capital from savings obtained by working in packing plants Family capital is most frequent source of capital for businesses; rarely is bank credit used. Bring capital from outside – both urban U.S. and Mexico If they get a bank loan, bank recommends insurance agency and accountant.

24 Share of top 1% incomes in total post-tax income

25 BUILT CAPITAL Physical infrastructure that enhances other community capitals because –It serves multiple users –It can be locally maintained and improved –It links local people together equitably –It links local people, institutions and businesses to outside ideas and resources

26 Political Capital Cultural Capital Natural Capital Human Capital Financial Capital Social Capital Built Capital Social Inclusion Economic Security Healthy Ecosystem


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