Reciprocal Obligations in the Social Capital Resource Exchanges of Diverse Groups

Abstract

This paper theorizes how reciprocal obligations that are inherent in social capital resource exchanges work for groups defined by gender, class and race. When one receives favors, there is generally an expectation that the favor will be returned either to the group as a whole or to the individual who extended the favor. While these ideas are discussed in the social capital literature, insufficient attention has been given to how these processes may differ for groups defined by gender, class and race and how these differences affect the groups' socioeconomic circumstances. This paper provides theoretical clarity to these issues.