Visualizing Community Building and Social Capital in a Youth Participatory Action Research Program Using Social Network Analysis

• In Event: Collaborative and Community Action Research: Working Together for Change

Abstract

This study aims to use social network analysis (SNA) as a tool to visualize community building and social capital among pre-cadets in a Los Angeles Police Department youth participatory action research (YPAR) study. Bourdieu (1985) defines social capital as an “aggregate of actual or potential” benefits or resources that are derived from membership in a social network. Pre-cadets learned how to conduct community-based research in a three-month YPAR. Using pre/post self-reflection survey data and the software R, we visualized participants’ career philosophy and social network before and after YPAR. Results show increased number of bestfriend ties, network density, transitivity, and modularity—implying community building. YPAR studies may consider SNA as a tool for visualizing community and social capital building.

Authors

• Melo-Jean Yap, University of California - Los Angeles

• Rebecca Colina Neri, University of California - Los Angeles

• Jasmine Wilson, Howard University

• Louis M. Gomez, University of California - Los Angeles