Social Capital and Energy Transition: A Conceptual Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Framework of SC
3. A Conceptual Review of SC and Energy Transition
3.1. Objectives
3.2. Methodology
- Topic: I examined which fields have been most explored in studies of SC and energy transition. Which of these goals do researchers have in using SC to understand certain community attitudes? This aspect is important to understand what fields are mostly considered, how SC is explored, and what interpretations of the findings are made regarding the energy transition.
- Definition of SC: I explored how many terms are used to define SC and how they relate to specific indicators of SC [31]. For example, it is not easy to define what SC is, but very often, the level of SC is associated with specific aspects of it, such as relationships, trust, etc.
- SC dimensions: SC is composed of three dimensions: structural, relational, and cognitive [32]. In studies, particular importance is often given to the structural dimension, more to the relational and less to the cognitive. In doing so, there is the risk of neglecting important elements of SC in relation to energy transition.
- SC indicators: Because the term “SC” is difficult to define, we examined what elements were commonly included when discussing SC. There seems to be disagreement about which elements are necessary to understand SC. In fact, studies of it in the energy field have often included only a few indicators of SC.
- Methods used: I examined what methods were used to gather information about SC, primarily whether they were qualitative, quantitative, or mixed.
- Distribution of departments/Relations between authors in different countries: I explored the geographic area of departments that have explored the concept of SC and the collaborations between authors from different countries. This choice was made to see how the relationship between SC and energy transition was approached based on different cultural realities [1].
3.3. Results and Trends
- Individual benefits of social capital: “Friends, colleagues, and more general contacts through whom you receive opportunities to use your financial capital and human capital” ([55]: 9);
- Group benefits of social capital: “Social capital flows from the endowment of mutually respecting and trusting relationships which enable a group to pursue its shared goals more effectively than would otherwise be possible” ([56]: 57);
- Unintentional result: “[] Social capital depends on being a byproduct of activities engaged in for other purposes” ([23]: 312);
- Actively created result: “Becker supposes that people choose social networks in ways that will maximise their utility” ([57]: 82).
4. Problems and Controversies
4.1. Features of SC
4.2. SC, Social or Individual Interaction?
4.3. SC, Positive or Negative Aspect?
5. Limits
- Keywords in the article, abstract, and title were used to select papers. There might be some articles, however, that consider other keywords such as “social network analysis” and therefore do not consider “SC” and “energ*”, but that could have been relevant to this study;
- This study selected studies in the field of social sciences, but in the last decades, environmental sciences have also dealt with SC, but that was not considered in this article;
- An attempt was made to cover as many research articles as possible, but it is possible that some research articles which focus on the relationship between SC and energy may be missing. Likewise, the taxonomy parameters adopted in this research could be improved.
6. Conclusions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Journal | N. |
---|---|
Sustainability Switzerland | 14 |
Energy Research And Social Science | 9 |
Scientometrics | 3 |
Business Strategy And The Environment | 2 |
Environment And Planning A | 2 |
Extractive Industries And Society | 2 |
Geoforum | 2 |
Global Network | 2 |
Quality And Quantity | 2 |
Sustainable Cities And Society | 2 |
Other | 50 |
Tot. | 90 |
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Giacovelli, G. Social Capital and Energy Transition: A Conceptual Review. Sustainability 2022, 14, 9253. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159253
Giacovelli G. Social Capital and Energy Transition: A Conceptual Review. Sustainability. 2022; 14(15):9253. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159253
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiacovelli, Grazia. 2022. "Social Capital and Energy Transition: A Conceptual Review" Sustainability 14, no. 15: 9253. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159253