printThe Social Capital of Ethnicity:
a Sociological Perspective
Ryzhova S.V.
Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Leading Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Interethnic Relations, Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow, Russia Silica2@yandex.ru
Ryzhova S.V. The Social Capital of Ethnicity: a Sociological Perspective. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2025. No 10. P. 92-102
Based on the theoretical approaches to the study of social capital presented in the works of P. Bourdieu, J. Cowman, N. Lin, R. Putnam, F. Fukuyama and Russian researchers, a definition and description of the social capital of ethnicity is proposed, its assets and indicators are considered. It is concluded that from a sociological point of view, the concept of “social capital of ethnicity” describes various processes of social integration and adaptation based on ethnic identity and trust. Its capabilities fully reveal their potential in a State that preserves and protects ethnic diversity. The social capital of ethnicity is indivisible and belongs to the entire Russian society, to all members of ethnic communities and groups. Based on data from the general sociological survey of the population of the Russian Federation conducted in 2024, the volume of the “Bonding” and “Bridging” social capital of ethnicity in the Russian Federation was analyzed and a conclusion was drawn about the presence of a balance of its forms in society.
Anzhiganova L. V. (2020) Ethnic capital as an object of scientific analysis. In: Ethnic capital: problems of conceptualization. Abakan: NROFSKH “Al Hooray”. (In Russ.)
Arnania-Kepuladze, T. & Kepuladze, G. (2023) Social capital of an ethnic group: features of formation and manifestation (Svaneti case). Vestnik Tomskogo gosun-ta [Tomsk State University Journal]. No. 492: 91–102. DOI: 10.17223/15617793/492/11. (In Russ.)
Block M., Golovin N. A. (2015) Social Capital: Towards Generalisation of the Concept. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo un-ta. Ser. 12 [Bulletin of St. Petersburg State University. Ser 12]. Iss. 4: 99–111. (In Russ.)
Bourdieu P. (2005) Forms of capital. Ekonomicheskaya sociologiya. [Economic sociology]. No. 3: 60–74. (In Russ.)
Drobizheva L. M. (1994) Values and symbols in the context of new concepts of ethnicity. In Values and symbols of national identity in a changing society. Moscow: 8–25. (In Russ.).Fukuyama F. (2006) Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity. Moscow: AST: Hraniyel’. (In Russ.)
Gabdrakhmanova G. F. (2010) Ethnocultural resources of economic development. Kazan: Kazansk. un-t. (In Russ.)
Goncharov N. S. (2023) Ethnical resources in local strategies development of Northem Yakutia. Severo-Vostochnyj gumanitarnyj vestnik [North-EasternJournal of Humanities]. No. 2(43): 24–42. DOI: 10.25693/SVGV.2023.43.2.002. (In Russ.)
Grigor’eva K.S. (2017) Ethnicity as a Social Resource and a Constraint: the Case of Ethnic Communities in Krasnodar Region. Mir Rossii. Sociologiya. Etnologiya [Universe of Russia. Sociology. Ethnology] Vol. 26. No 1: 81–102. (In Russ.)
Grushin B. A. (1987) Mass consciousness: The experience of definition and research problems. Moscow: Politizdat. (In Russ.).
Horowitz D. L. (1985) Ethnic groups in conflict. Berkeley; Los Angeles; London: University of California Press.
Koulman D. (2001) Social and human capital. Obschestvennye nauki i sovremennost’ [Social Sciences and Contemporary World] No. 3: 121–139. (In Russ.)
Kuznetsov I. M., Mukomel V. I. (2007) The formation of ethnic niches in the Russian economy: a history of the issue. Neprikosnovennyj zapas [The inviolable reserve]. No 1: 175–184. (In Russ.)
Lin Nan. (2002) Social Capital: A Theory of Social Structure and Action. Vol. 19. Cambridge university press.
Marchenya P. P. (2015) The masses and mass politics: concepts and realities. Vestnik Akademii ekonomicheskoj bezopasnosti MVD Rossii [Bulletin of the Academy of Economic Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia]. No. 3: 76–79. (In Russ.)
Putnam R. D. (2001) Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York, London, Toronto, Sydney: Simon and Schuster.
Radaev V. (2002) The concept of capital, forms of capital and their conversion. Ekonomicheskaya sociologiya [Economic sociology]. Vol. 3. No. 4: 20–32. (In Russ.)
Social inequality of ethnic groups: Perceptions and Reality (2002). Moscow: IEA RAN, IS RAS. (In Russ.)
Tatarko A. N. (2014) Sociopsychological capital of personality in a multicultural society. Moscow: IP RAN. (In Russ.)
Tejfell H., Turner J. С. (1986) The Social Identity Theory of Intergroup Behavior. In: Worchel S., Austin W. G. (eds) Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Chicago: Nelson-Hall: 7–24.
Tishkov V. A. (2003) Requiem for ethnos. Research on socio-cultural anthropology. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
The “Arrow of Time” in the mass consciousness of Russians: assessments of the past, judgments about the present, ideas about the future. (2024) Ed. by M. K. Gorshkov. Moscow: Ves mir. (In Russ.)
Valiahmetov R. M., S. H. Kadyrov, D. G. Yagafarova. (2013) Economic and social capital of the Bashkir people. Vestnik RUDN. Sociologiya [RUDN Journal of Sociology]. No. 2: 51–63. (In Russ.)
Volkov Yu.G., Kurbatov V. I. (2020) Ethnic Capital of Migrants: Formation, Promotion and Development Dynamics. Vestnik YuRGTU [Bulletin of the South-Russian State Technical University]. Vol. 13. No. 6: 10–27. DOI: 10.17213/2075-2067-2020-6-10-27. (In Russ.)