Impacts of the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic on social capital

Led by Prof. Dr Renate Schubert and Dr Jonas Joerin from Future Resilient Systems (FRS) programme, the team from the Social and Financial Resilience Module published a paper on changes in social capital during the Covid-19 pandemic in Natural Hazards Review (published by the American Society of Civil Engineers).

Social capital refers to social ties that enable connecting with other people, trust, mutual support, or collective action. It is a key indicator of social resilience, crucial for effective crisis response and recovery. Unprecedented levels of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have limited social interactions and traditional channels of support, with potentially adverse impacts on social capital.

Drawing on empirical evidence from two large samples in Switzerland and Singapore respectively, external page the paper assesses changes in horizontal (ties between individuals) and vertical social capital (ties between individuals and decision-makers), during the pandemic, using two waves of repeated cross-sectional surveys among representative adult samples from each country.

The findings suggest that despite social distancing measures, horizontal and vertical social capital remained stable in both countries. Measures tailored to the value system of a country and the adaptive capacities of residents seem to have contributed towards the stability of social capital. This is an encouraging message with respect to potential future pandemics. Policymakers and relevant agencies should focus on tailored communication and messaging efforts to safeguard social resilience in future pandemic contexts.