Building social capital through community development

Scholars applying the concept of social capital to community development have been using a number of different definitions and measures. This essay attempts to help scholars and practitioners arrive at a common understanding of the concept and develop reliable measures of social capital. With this insight we can ascertain how social capital can be developed at the neighborhood scale and expand its role in community revitalization. A case study neighborhood in Durham, NC, is analyzed to provide evidence for how these concepts may apply in practice.