Abstract:
Given the significant role attributed to community organisations by many social
capital scholars, it is appropriate to investigate the dynamics of that process. In particular,
Woolcott & Narayan (2001) have suggested that bridging and bonding are two different
types of connections, whereby bridging is associated with loose ties across communities
and bonding is associated with strong ties within a limited group. This qualitative study
explores the loose and strong ties of 39 participants connected through community
organisations in rural and urban NSW. The results suggest that loose and strong ties are
not synonymous with bridging and bonding. In general loose and strong ties differ in
degree rather than in kind and people prefer to bridge through their strong ties. The
interesting exceptions were ties to professionals, which were highly trusted but defined as
loose ties. It is suggested that a model for a high social capital society might be a chain of
well-bonded groups each with strong links to some other groups.
