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Chapter 6. Gender and social capital: The case of a deprived urban community in Hong Kong

  • Suet-lin Shirley Hung , Kwok-kin Fung , Sai-kin Sammy Ho and Juxiong Feng
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Asia and China in the Global Era
This chapter is in the book Asia and China in the Global Era

Abstract

Despite social capital becoming increasingly significant under the current context of neoliberalist globalisation, the concept has been criticised by feminists as largely gender-blind. This chapter reports on a study that used the Social Capital Questionnaire - Chinese (SCQ-C), as well as qualitative interviews of women from different income groups, to examine gender differences in social capital in the deprived community of Tin Shui Wai North (TSWN). The quantitative and qualitative findings echo feminists’ call for gendering social capital theory and measurement. Using the SCQ-C scale and the resultant seven-factor model to measure social capital, gender differences were identified among six factors, and the composed items of each showed gender differences at a statistically significant level. Regarding the factors/dimensions showing gender differences, the tendency to participate in less-demanding activities, the low expectation of help from family and friends (outside the community), the significance of work experience in nurturing self-agency, the relational orientation in constituting a positive evaluation of life, and the detrimental effect of low trust and a low sense of safety in the development of social capital are specific to low-income women in this deprived community. The qualitative interviews provided further information. The tendency for social capital to cater to practical rather than strategic gender needs was revealed. The conflicts between domestic work and community participation for social capital in the patriarchal society of Hong Kong echo the triple burden highlighted by feminist studies. Mobilising social capital to deal with strategic gender needs and gender inequality is necessary. In addition, the study reveals the capacity of the SCQ-C scale to unravel gender differences, although the insufficient attention to gender in community participation and neighbourhood connections points to the need to strengthen the gender sensitivity of the measurement.

Abstract

Despite social capital becoming increasingly significant under the current context of neoliberalist globalisation, the concept has been criticised by feminists as largely gender-blind. This chapter reports on a study that used the Social Capital Questionnaire - Chinese (SCQ-C), as well as qualitative interviews of women from different income groups, to examine gender differences in social capital in the deprived community of Tin Shui Wai North (TSWN). The quantitative and qualitative findings echo feminists’ call for gendering social capital theory and measurement. Using the SCQ-C scale and the resultant seven-factor model to measure social capital, gender differences were identified among six factors, and the composed items of each showed gender differences at a statistically significant level. Regarding the factors/dimensions showing gender differences, the tendency to participate in less-demanding activities, the low expectation of help from family and friends (outside the community), the significance of work experience in nurturing self-agency, the relational orientation in constituting a positive evaluation of life, and the detrimental effect of low trust and a low sense of safety in the development of social capital are specific to low-income women in this deprived community. The qualitative interviews provided further information. The tendency for social capital to cater to practical rather than strategic gender needs was revealed. The conflicts between domestic work and community participation for social capital in the patriarchal society of Hong Kong echo the triple burden highlighted by feminist studies. Mobilising social capital to deal with strategic gender needs and gender inequality is necessary. In addition, the study reveals the capacity of the SCQ-C scale to unravel gender differences, although the insufficient attention to gender in community participation and neighbourhood connections points to the need to strengthen the gender sensitivity of the measurement.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgements V
  3. Contents VII
  4. List of Figures IX
  5. List of Tables XI
  6. Chapter 1. China and the global era: From globalisation to everyday life 1
  7. Chapter 2. Origin effects, spatial dynamics, and redistribution of foreign direct investment in Guangdong, China 21
  8. Chapter 3. Broken wing: Affective geographies of China’s state-owned enterprise reform 45
  9. Chapter 4. Neoliberalisation and community development: Comparing community development services in Hong Kong and Beijing 65
  10. Chapter 5. A review of the effective features of Facebook in social media-based interventions to increase adolescents’ physical activity 89
  11. Chapter 6. Gender and social capital: The case of a deprived urban community in Hong Kong 103
  12. Chapter 7. Framing migrant domestic workers inside transnational businesses: A case study of Bangladeshi women travelling to Hong Kong, and their Hong Kong-based employment agencies 135
  13. Chapter 8. Aurora College for Women in Shanghai, 1937–1951 155
  14. Chapter 9. The local mutation of professional academic organisations and its fragmentising effect under academic globalisation: Evidence from modern China and Japan 173
  15. Chapter 10. German Romantic ideals and the revival of traditional Chinese culture in early twentieth century China 191
  16. Chapter 11. Urban resilience in China: Government action and community response 207
  17. Index 225
https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501505591-006

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgements V
  3. Contents VII
  4. List of Figures IX
  5. List of Tables XI
  6. Chapter 1. China and the global era: From globalisation to everyday life 1
  7. Chapter 2. Origin effects, spatial dynamics, and redistribution of foreign direct investment in Guangdong, China 21
  8. Chapter 3. Broken wing: Affective geographies of China’s state-owned enterprise reform 45
  9. Chapter 4. Neoliberalisation and community development: Comparing community development services in Hong Kong and Beijing 65
  10. Chapter 5. A review of the effective features of Facebook in social media-based interventions to increase adolescents’ physical activity 89
  11. Chapter 6. Gender and social capital: The case of a deprived urban community in Hong Kong 103
  12. Chapter 7. Framing migrant domestic workers inside transnational businesses: A case study of Bangladeshi women travelling to Hong Kong, and their Hong Kong-based employment agencies 135
  13. Chapter 8. Aurora College for Women in Shanghai, 1937–1951 155
  14. Chapter 9. The local mutation of professional academic organisations and its fragmentising effect under academic globalisation: Evidence from modern China and Japan 173
  15. Chapter 10. German Romantic ideals and the revival of traditional Chinese culture in early twentieth century China 191
  16. Chapter 11. Urban resilience in China: Government action and community response 207
  17. Index 225
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