Sozialkapita von unten. Strittige Interpretationen ländlicher Entwicklungsprozesse in Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract

This work discusses about the social capital concept and his application in the rural society. In the last ten years some rural studies had used this concept to the analysis of the irrigated land projects in the context of the Ecuadorian Andes rural development. Nonetheless the social capital concept is today influenced by the World Bank framework in the indigenous community’s development practices. Our purpose is to analyse this concept in the context of the one of the most important Second Level Peasant Organisation (OSG) in the south of the highlands in Ecuador. In this case, the social capital is analyzed from bottom to top especially in the communitarian practices and the bonds with the external non profit organisations. We believe that is the way to look the social capital in action and the best method whereby we will understand the limits and the future of this concept.