Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)
Aknowledgement
Social networks and social capital 23 Another problem is that social networks (like the metaphor) are usually seen as rather static and fixed instead of dynamic and changing. Indeed links can be revived or forgotten, depending upon circumstances, they may turn from face-to-face into electronic communication or vice versa and they could stay at the level of electronic communication without the actors ever physically interacting. Information and Communication Technology has helped to transform the character of social networks. However, the opening of the borders to Eastern Europe also helped many old networks to be revived or new ones to be established. The nature of social interaction and associational life has also been changing. People are perhaps more likely to join a chat room than a bowling club or to mobilise for a demonstration through a set of loose connections (as is the case with the anti-globalisation demonstrations) rather than joining a political party. Social action and social participation can take a variety of different forms in the “network society” (Castells 1996). Loosely connected centres of action provide the possibility for flexible and changing types of engagement. Under these circumstances, Al-Qaeda could be seen as a form of political participation through global networking par excellence. Conclusion Despite these problems, the issue of social capital continues to attract heated debate and social networks become not only a topic of sociological interest, but an issue of public policy. As I have pointed out above, social capital depends upon different kinds of social networks, some of which can be positive and some negative in their effects. There remain however, many unanswered questions and unresearched assumptions in the whole discussion.
