Positioning Policy: The Epistemology of Social Capital and Its Application in Applied Rural Research in Australia

Abstract

Place, community, and identity have emerged as central issues in our ongoing research in a small rural community in Australia. We reflect upon the spatialization of the concept of social capital and the uncritical use of the term community and participation within this policy discourse. We describe the links between projects to improve community capacity and movements that are changing the nature of governance and forging new relationships between people and the state.