Our strength is in our unity: Reciprocity, stigma, and ideology as foundations of and obstacles to social capital among the poor

Social capital can allow poor people to cope with daily struggles and be a source of leverage that allows them to escape poverty, yet much research has focused on a dearth of social capital among the poor. This study uses participant observation and ethnographic interviews with 50 poor people (mostly women) in Philadelphia to explore social capital among respondents and the obstacles they confront in building social capital. 25 interviews are with members of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU), an activist organization of poor people working to combat poverty. 25 interviews are with poor women not involved with the organization. Although they get less support from fewer sources, KWRU members develop more bonding social capital than do non-KWRU members, yet they lack bridging ties that might help them escape poverty. Poor people who are not members of the organization are more socially isolated, lacking emotional support, but successfully navigate social programs to obtain the material support they need. However, that support often fails to rise to the level of social capital. In addition to support and social capital, this study examines pathways and barriers to building social capital among the poor, including norms of reciprocity, a pervasive stigma associated with being poor, and attitudes about the causes of poverty. Reciprocity norms can lead to social capital but can also prevent people from asking for help if they feel unable to reciprocate, and can cause some to withhold help when they believe others will not do their part in turn. Poverty stigma forces many poor people to actively isolate themselves from other poor people to separate from the stigmatized group, but KWRU members use the stigma to recruit new members. Finally, when people believe individuals are to blame for their poverty, they are less likely to help others or ask for help themselves, but when they recognize its structural causes, they are able to unite and advocate collective strategies to escape poverty