Disasters as an Opportunity to Build Social Capital

Abstract

An extensive literature on the role of social capital in disaster response highlights the regularity that more robust social networks support more effective coordination and recovery (Aldrich, 2012). Less attention has been paid to the persistent aftereffects of disasters on social capital. Disasters provide stricken communities with the opportunity to strengthen their social bonds by affecting social norms, attitudes, and behavior. We study the enduring impact of disasters on social integrity by examining the after effects of the 2010 earthquake and tsunami on interpersonal trust, a common proxy for social capital