Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5613/rzs.47.1.2
Differences in Social Capital Across the Croatian Population Based on the Level of Settlement Urbanisation
Filip Majetić
; Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Miroslav Rajter
orcid.org/0000-0002-2608-3196
; Research Office, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Mislav Dević
; Zadar, Croatia
Abstract
This paper examines differences in social capital among the Croatian population across areas with different urbanisation levels. Although the analysis of such differences has been a productive research topic internationally, no studies in Croatia have aimed for it so far. Following Putnam’s approach, social capital was conceptualised and operationalised by three dimensions: trust in institutions, informal as well as formal social networks, and social (political and civic) participation. The data were gathered in a 2015 survey. A representative multi-stage stratified sample of adults from Croatia was used (N = 1 000). Trust in political and civic institutions was higher in rural than in urban areas. Compared to rural areas and small-to-medium-sized urban settlements, the population of large urban settlements engaged less in informal social networks (contacts with relatives and neighbours). No differences among settlements were found regarding membership in civic associations (formal social networks). The population of small-to-medium-sized cities reported more volunteering activities (political participation) than the residents of rural areas. In terms of political participation, the residents of large cities reported a higher voter turnout than the residents of small-to-medium-sized cities in the last parliamentary elections, as well as a higher voter turnout than the residents of rural areas in the last presidential elections. The findings shed light on topics that need to be examined in Croatia in future research, such as determinants of social capital within areas with a similar level of urbanisation and regional differences in social capital across areas with a high, medium and low level of urbanisation.
Keywords
social capital; Croatian population; urban areas; rural areas; trust in institutions; social networks; social participation
Hrčak ID:
182849
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2017.
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