Network Formation by Minority Populations and Social Capital:

A Case Study of Parent Organizations in a Buraku Community

Abstract

Interest in social capital has grown recently among researchers both in Japan and around the world. It is “bridging social capital” that attracts particular attention today. Minorities tend to be portrayed as people who are denied such social capital.

The author argues that it is important to examine the kind of social capital which is generated and utilized in networks developed by minorities themselves. This paper focuses on the “Burakumin,” the largest minority population in Japan. Discriminated-against Buraku communities have benefited during the past half century from specific government legislation realized through the efforts of the Buraku liberation movement, as well as various Buraku improvement measures. On the other hand, however, new difficulties have developed recently such as the stagnation of the liberation movement, widening disparities in income and academic achievement within Buraku communities, and the abolition of relevant laws. In this context, we can analyze the impact of environmental changes on social capital and the formation of social networks based on it over time.

This paper clearly reveals that there is dilemma between the assumption of homogeneity and the formation of minority networks. It also reveals that class-based disparities can be observed within the network and that the qualitative change of benefits influences the formation of networks. “Bonding social capital” is by no means uniform. We run the risk of overlooking diversity and disparity within the network if we emphasize homogeneity. In addition, the “positive” and “negative” aspects of social capital are not static, but change variously based on influences such as “being valued by people outside of the network” and “qualitative changes over time.” This paper examines these dynamic aspects that are specific to the social networks developed by minorities.

This paper focuses on “bonding social capital” within minority networks. In the case of social networks formed with the aim of achieving “liberation” from oppression, it is indispensable to build effective relationships with entitie soutside the network. Therefore, an important future task for the author is to maintain a good balance between “bridging social capital” and “bonding social capital,” upon which minority networks rely heavily.