Measuring and indigenizing social capital in relation to children's street work in Mexico: The role of culture in shaping social capital indicators

Authors

Kristin M. Ferguson, University of Southern California

Keywords

Children's street work, family social capital, community social capital, factor analysis

Abstract

Drawing from social capital theory, this study assessed the relevance of existing conceptions of social capital-largely from the United States and Canada-in the Mexican context, in an effort to contribute novel variables to the street-children literature. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 204 mothers of street-working and non-working children were interviewed within one community in Monterrey, Nuevo Le6n, Mexico. Factor analysis was used to corroborate the internal construct validity of two dimensions of social capital: family social capital and community social capital. Findings reveal that culture can play an influential role in how social capital indicators are defined and measured.

Recommended Citation

Ferguson, Kristin M. (2004) "Measuring and indigenizing social capital in relation to children's street work in Mexico: The role of culture in shaping social capital indicators," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 31: Iss. 4, Article 6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3028
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol31/iss4/6