Social networks in low-income communities: the differential effects of weak and strong ties

Abstract

This article demonstrates, through a qualitative replication of a quantitative research ¿ a survey ¿ that the concepts of closed interaction systems ¿ social capital ¿ and open ones ¿ weak ties ¿ refer to different kinds of social phenomena and, therefore, have independent roles in determining the individuals¿ capability of collective articulation as well as the effectiveness of the collective actions. The main hypothesis is that while social capital has to do with the people¿s ability to articulate social mobilization, weak ties have to do with the community¿s capability to obtain services such as sanitation, public safety, transportation, health care and leisure facilities ¿ here called collective effectiveness. The study comprised a qualitative replication of a survey, with three case studies of low-income communities in the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area.