Social capital and neighborhood networks in cities: The case of the Alvalade neighborhood.

Abstract

This article analyzes the importance of social capital and neighborhood networks, through research undertaken in the Alvalade neigborhood (bairro), Lisbon. The authors analyze the different theoretical perspectives on this topic and describe the Alvalade master plan — considered an urban planning paradigm in Portugal. The article applies the mixed methods developed with the integration of qualitative data from urban ethnography and interviews, and of quantitative data, derived from the survey. The results respond to five research questions that highlight differences in structure, trust and reciprocity, the resources, and involvement, and we identify the characteristics of the residents that explain the dynamics of the social capital and of the neighborhood in cities.