Status and Social Capital: A Cross-Sectional, Quantitative Investigation of Flood Survivors in South Punjab, Pakistan
Social capital mitigates the impact of natural hazards, such as floods. But how is social capital distributed in developing countries regularly hit by shocks?
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A growing body of evidence underscores that social capital mitigates the impact of natural hazards, such as floods. However, less is known about the distribution of social ties in developing countries regularly hit by shocks. This study examined the differences between demographic groups in South Punjab, Pakistan affected by the 2010 floods, comparing respondents’ levels of social capital measured through proxies, such as received social support, perceived community cohesion, accessibility to leadership and general level of trust. The team carried out univariate and multivariate analyses of factors, including gender, education, occupation, landholding, family size, annual income, number of livestock and home stability. Using data collected in face-to-face interviews with 450 flood survivors, the analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the flood victims’ scores on all four scales based on gender and family size. However, education, occupation, landholding, annual income and home stability statistically correlated with levels of social capital. Respondents with high levels of education, high levels of land, higher home stability and a government job typically had higher scores in all four measurements of social ties. The results show strong inequality in the distribution of social capital, with better connections and assistance coming to those who already have better socioeconomic positions in society.
This article was originally published in the “International Journal of Disaster Risk Science” on July 28, 2022. It was written by Muhammad Siddique Akbar, Muhammad Rizwan Safdar, Farhan Navid Yousaf and Daniel P. Aldrich. View the original article on SpringerLink.