Comparison

Racial and Ethnic Inequality in Social Capital

In the described urban sample, Black respondents reported smaller and less diverse social networks than White respondents, with mean network sizes of 2.25 and 3.1, respectively, even though 78% of Black respondents had relatives in the city. Class differences also appeared among Black respondents: middle-class participants reported more formal involvement in clubs, organizations, and church groups than lower-class participants. The material further describes immigrant enclave networks in which families rely on other immigrant families for employment and financial resources, while many of these kin networks remain isolated from the mainstream economy. These patterns illustrate how race, ethnicity, and class can shape access to social capital.

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Updated 2026-08-29

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Sociology

Social Science

Empirical Science

Science