A Theoretical Study From the Sociological Perspective on the Social Capital of Youth With Disabilities
Hülya EkerNumerous definitions and conceptualizations of social capital exist; however, adults have received much more attention in terms of social capital than youth and young people with disabilities. Youth with disabilities experience problems identical to their peers without disabilities but are more disadvantaged with respect to social inclusion. Therefore, this study references the extant literature to present a conceptual framework on the social capital of youth with disabilities. To this end, it presents the conceptual dimensions of social capital to determine the outputs (with respect to the individual and society) and indicators of social capital. Individual outputs include the expansion of social networks, increase of wellbeing, development of identity and belonging, and social support. Social outputs encompass the increased participation of youth with disabilities in social life. Social capital indicators comprise belonging to a place and a group, trust, social support, social exclusion, and identity perceptions in social networks. Family members, close friends, and neighbors appear at the forefront when previously conducted studies are reviewed. The elucidation of the conceptual framework of the social capital of disabled youth can contribute to the sociological literature on disability, making disadvantaged positions and their inclusion in social life more visible. It is important to highlight studies on the social capital of young people with disabilities to encourage more scholars to discuss their inclusion in the social fabric and to add to the literature on the sociology of disability.
Sosyolojik Bakış Açısıyla “Engelli” Gençlerin Sosyal Sermayesi Üzerine Kuramsal Bir Çalışma
Hülya EkerSosyal sermayeye ilişkin birçok tanım ve kavramsallaştırma olmasına rağmen gençlerin ve engeli olan gençlerin sosyal sermayeleri yeterince ilgi görmemiştir. Engeli olan gençler engeli olmayan gençlerle aynı sorunları yaşamakla birlikte toplumsal yaşama dahil olma noktasında daha dezavantajlı konumdadırlar. Bu çalışmada literatürde yapılan çalışmalardan da destek alınarak engeli olan gençlerin sosyal sermayelerine ilişkin kavramsal bir çerçeve sunulması amaçlanmaktadır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda sosyal sermaye kavramsal boyutlarıyla tartışılmıştır. Engeli olan gençlerin sosyal sermayelerine ilişkin yapılan çalışmalardan hareketle sosyal sermaye çıktıları (birey ve toplum açısından) ve göstergeleri belirlenmiştir. Bireysel çıktıları sosyal ağlarının genişlemesi, refahlarının artması, kimlik ve aidiyetlerinin gelişmesi ve sosyal destektir. Toplumsal çıktılar ise engeli olan gençlerin toplumsal yaşama katılımının artmasıdır. Sosyal sermaye göstergeleri sosyal ağlar, mekâna ve gruba aidiyet, güven, sosyal destek, sosyal dışlanma ve kimlik algılarından oluşmaktadır. Bu gençlerin sosyal sermayeleri üzerine yapılan çalışmalar incelendiğinde sosyal çevrelerinde aileleri, arkadaşları, bakımlarından sorumlu bireyler ve komşuları ön plandadır. Engeli olan gençlerin sosyal sermayesine ilişkin kavramsal çerçeveyle bu gençlerin dezavantajlı konumlarını daha görünür hale getirmede ve toplumsal yaşama dahil olmalarındaki önemi vurgulanmıştır. Bu konudaki çalışmaların ön plana çıkarılmasıyla engeli olan gençlerin sosyal sermayesi, özellikle engellilik sosyolojisi literatürüne katkı sunması açısından önem arz etmektedir.
Discussions in the sociology of disability youth do not focus on the disability status of young people based on their risks and disadvantages; rather, they attend to their social disabilities. Numerous studies have evidenced that young people with disabilities confront problems in diverse domains, such as participation in the workforce (Bonaccio, Connelly, Gellatly, Jetha, and Ginis, 2019, Lindsay, 2010), education (Wallace, Bayisenge, and Karangwa, 2018); and access to health services (Franklin et al., 2019). Burcu (2013) notes that young people with disabilities face increased social risks of isolation, loneliness, harassment, and suicide in comparison to young people without disabilities. Dimakos et al. (2016) have asserted the importance of understanding the needs and problems of youth with disabilities in dealing with such problems and facilitating their inclusion in the social fabric, as well as acknowledging the significance of their social capital. This study presents a conceptual framework of the social capital of young people with disabilities. Initially, it offers a discussion on the focus of the definition and classification of social capital. Next, it examines the social capital of young people without disabilities based on the characteristics of youth and presents a conceptual framework regarding the social capital of young people with disabilities. In explaining the social capital of young people with disabilities in terms of the conceptual dimension, the study indicates the outputs and indicators of social capital and elucidates their functioning in the illumination and apprehension of the lives of these young people.
Numerous sociologists have defined the concept of “social capital” (Burt, 2002, p. 203; Bourdieu, 1989; Coleman 1988, 1990; Lin, and Erickson, 2008, p. 4). In most definitions, the inclusion of an individual in social life or the interactions between the individual and society is associated with their personal ability to access resources through social connections. The expansion of the social networks of young people with disabilities, increase in their wellbeing, positive contributions to their health, development of identity and belonging, and social support constitute individual outputs of the social capital of these young people. Social outputs encompass the increase in the participation of young people with disabilities in social life.
The directions of relationships in classifications of social capital are bonding, bridging, and linking. Bonding social capital represents relationships between family members, close friends, and neighbors. Bridging social capital describes relationships and interactions with acquaintances, partners, and colleagues. Linking social capital refers to interactions between the individual and the power structure (Szreter, and Woolcoock, 2004). This study’s scrutiny of scholarly literature on the social capital of young people with disabilities yielded the predominance of bonding with family members, close friends, and neighbors.
The examination of social capital indicators for young people with disabilities revealed weak social networks and an insufficient sense of belonging to a place or group. Youth with disabilities experience a significant paucity of trust, social inclusion, identity perceptions, social support, social exclusion, and inclusion in communities (Holt, 2010; Hoskin, 2010; Johnston, 2011; Magson, Craven, Munns, and Yeung, 2016; Milic Babic, and Dowling, 2015). These markers are significant for the comprehension of the participation of young people with disabilities in social life, their health and wellbeing, their sense of belonging, and the existence of community support networks for them. Youth with disabilities receive the most support from their families, caregivers, and friends, with whom they also invest the most trust. They seek assistance from their friends, school teachers, and family members to mitigate the difficulties they encounter (Porcelli, Ungar, Liebenberg, and Trépanier, 2014). It may thus be asserted based on social capital resources and social capital indicators that young people with disabilities have access to limited social networks.
Sociological studies on the social capital of youth with disabilities are quite limited. It is thus hoped that the present study will contribute to the connections between disability and youth-related difficulties vis-à-vis social capital. The conceptual framework elucidated in this study may also facilitate the terms of the definition and classification of the social capital of such young people, contributing to the literature on the sociology of disability. The increased visibility of the circumstances of young people with disabilities and their disadvantaged positions compared to their peers without disabilities would also increase discussions on their social capital and their inclusion in the social fabric. The current study’s focal conceptualization could offer a new sociological perspective to the extant scholarly discussions on the sociology of disability and could enable further comprehension and elucidation of why youngsters with disabilities can become disabled from social life.
