Residential College | false |
Status | 已發表Published |
Social Capital as Dehumanizing Terminology | |
Robert J. Taormina; Angus C. H. Kuok; Wei Wei | |
2012 | |
Source Publication | Advances in Applied Sociology |
ISSN | 2165-4328 |
Volume | 2Issue:2Pages:143-148 |
Abstract | This paper argues that the term “social capital” is an inappropriate terminology that is unsuited for theory or scientific empirical research. The arguments challenge the metaphor and definition by revealing the phrase to be dehumanizing, oxymoronic, anachronistic, and demeaning, which makes it incorrect, and even immoral, for proper use. It is also argued that the term is 1984-ish vis-à-vis Doublethink and Newspeak. It is recommended that the metaphors for “social capital” and its related term, “human capital,” should be dropped from use. It is further recommended, for the purpose of increased clarity for theory building and for empirical research, and to avoid using dehumanizing terminology, that it is more appropriate to retain the term “social networking” as the general name for the process; such that, when attempting to measure related social networking concepts, researchers should specify operationally defined variable names that are more suited to proper scientific measurement of the research domains. For example, if “friends” are studied as helpers in a social network, that term may be used as a variable name, but under no circumstances should one’s friends, or other people, be referred to or regarded as “capital.” |
Keyword | Social Capital Anachronism Terminology Dehumanizing Critique Oxymoron |
DOI | 10.4236/aasoci.2012.22019 |
Language | 英語English |
Fulltext Access | |
Citation statistics | |
Document Type | Journal article |
Collection | Faculty of Social Sciences |
Corresponding Author | Robert J. Taormina |
Affiliation | University of Macau |
First Author Affilication | University of Macau |
Corresponding Author Affilication | University of Macau |
Recommended Citation GB/T 7714 | Robert J. Taormina,Angus C. H. Kuok,Wei Wei. Social Capital as Dehumanizing Terminology[J]. Advances in Applied Sociology, 2012, 2(2), 143-148. |
APA | Robert J. Taormina., Angus C. H. Kuok., & Wei Wei (2012). Social Capital as Dehumanizing Terminology. Advances in Applied Sociology, 2(2), 143-148. |
MLA | Robert J. Taormina,et al."Social Capital as Dehumanizing Terminology".Advances in Applied Sociology 2.2(2012):143-148. |
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