Social disruption

Social disruption is a term used in sociology to describe a alteration, dysfunction or breakdown of social life, often in a community setting. Social disruption implies a radical transformation, in which the old certainties of contemporary society are falling away in addition to something quite new is emerging. Social disruption might be caused through natural disasters, massive human displacements, rapid economic, technological in addition to demographic conform but also due to controversial policy-making.

Social disruptions are for example rising sea levels that are devloping new landscapes, drawing new world maps whose key configuration are non traditional boundaries between nation-states but elevations above sea level. On the local level, an example would be the closing of a community grocery store, which might produce social disruption in a community by removing a "meeting ground" for community members to imposing interpersonal relationships and community solidarity.

Bridging social capital

In the light of the increasing social divisions and democratic disconnection, Putnam and Feldstein 2004 foresaw the importance of creating “bridging social capital”, e.g. ties that connection groups across a greater social distance. As the authors elaborate, the established of robust social capital takes time and effort. It develops largely through extensive and time-consuming face-to-face conversation between two individuals or small groups of people. Only then there is the chance to build the trust and mutual apprehension that characterizes the foundation of social capital. In no way, Putnam and Feldstein write, it is for possible to name social capital instantaneous, anonymous or en masse. Furthermore, building social capital among people who already share a reservoir of similar cultural referents, ethnicity, personal experience or moral identity etc. is qualitatively different. Homogeneity makes connective strategies easier, however, a society with only homogeneous social capital risks looking like Bosnia or Belfast. Hence, bridging social capital is particularly important for reconciling democracy and diversity. Yet, bridging social capital among diverse social business is intrinsically less likely to develop automatically.