Lay Normativity in Families and a Critique of Social Capital: An Investigation into Moral Judgements, Responsibilities and Sentiments in Kyrgyzstani Households

The paper examines individuals ’ lay understandings of moral responsibilities between adult kin members. Moral sentiments and practical judgements are important in shaping kinship responsibilities. The paper discusses how judgements on requests of support can be either judicious and critical, or partial and limited, taking into account many factors, including merit, social proximity, a history of personal encounters, overlapping commitments and moral identity in the family. In so doing, we argue that moral responsibilities are contextual and relational. We also analyse how class, gender and capabilities affect how individuals imagine, expect and discuss care responsibilities. We also offer a critique of social capital accounts of families, suggesting that their versions of morality are instrumental, alienated, functionalist and indistinctive. The paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of lay normativity, the moral economy and everyday moralities by drawing upon different literatures in sociology, moral philosophy, postcommunism and development studies