Justine Lacey

What Is the Relationship between Human and Social Capital: What Transfers to Whom?

Abstract The concepts of human capital and social capital have come to be widely used across government policy and academia in relation to their perceived roles in community engagement and social well-being. However in understanding the nature of these two distinct forms of capital there seems to be a pervasive notion that by simply increasing the stocks of human capital held within individuals, we might automatically expect to see a growth in the levels of social capital in the communities in which those individuals operate. While this formula proposes a neat and linear form of social and community well-being which derives it roots directly from individual capacity building activities such as education and training, we suggest that the relationship between human and social capital cannot be so easily created and that if in fact there is to be a link made between the two, it requires an explicit and active commitment from individuals and groups to invest their individual capacity and skills in generating forms of social capital. This paper provides examples from the Australian extension sector of where in the course of building human capital, social capital has also been built.

Utilising Diversity to Achieve Water Equity

Abstract In the realm of water justice there are a myriad of competing equity claims. Water is highly valued for a range of uses but competition for the resource can create divisions among the community of users. Moreover some parts of the community such as women and the poor are denied adequate access to water. This type of social exclusion can occur in a variety of ways, but for many, exclusion means they are denied basic choices about water due to a lack of ability to participate in decision making processes. Such equity claims cannot be readily solved by utilitarian formulas which seek to apply a simple metric to determine the highest economic value. Rather there are multiple values and realities which must be addressed including the social and institutional frameworks surrounding water governance. Martha Nussbaum has used the capabilities approach to address issues of social well being in the context of human development and gender. The capabilities approach is a conceptual framework which explores the basic freedoms and opportunities that are required to realistically enhance human well being, including the equity considerations linked to water access and distribution. Further, the capabilities approach is applicable across the diversity of human experience such that lessons from the human development sector will likely reveal relevant considerations for equity within the Australian community of water users.