Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations
This article investigates the relationship between homophily, the tendency for relationships to be more common among similar actors, and social capital in a social network of religious congregations from eight counties encompassing and surrounding a major metropolitan area in the southeastern United...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/8/653 |
| _version_ | 1797522253613629440 |
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| author | Jennifer M. McClure |
| author_facet | Jennifer M. McClure |
| author_sort | Jennifer M. McClure |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article investigates the relationship between homophily, the tendency for relationships to be more common among similar actors, and social capital in a social network of religious congregations from eight counties encompassing and surrounding a major metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. This network is inter-congregational, consisting of congregations and the relationships <i>between</i> them. Two types of social capital are investigated: the first involves the extent to which congregations bridge across structural holes, or bridge together otherwise disconnected congregations within the network; secondly, network closure involves the extent to which congregations are embedded in tight-knit clusters. Analyses use two types of homophily (religious and racial) to predict both outcomes, and they test linear and curvilinear relationships between both forms of homophily and the outcomes. Results indicate that congregations with moderate levels of religious homophily are more likely to bridge between otherwise disconnected congregations; however, congregations with low or high religious homophily as well as congregations with high racial homophily are more likely to be embedded in tight-knit relational clusters. This article contributes additional social network research on congregations and evidence of curvilinear relationships between homophily and social capital to the fields of social network analysis and sociology of religion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:26:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d2086d774fce40c4a8617b03d072f88c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:26:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-d2086d774fce40c4a8617b03d072f88c2023-11-22T09:30:48ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442021-08-0112865310.3390/rel12080653Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious CongregationsJennifer M. McClure0Department of Biblical and Religious Studies, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USAThis article investigates the relationship between homophily, the tendency for relationships to be more common among similar actors, and social capital in a social network of religious congregations from eight counties encompassing and surrounding a major metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. This network is inter-congregational, consisting of congregations and the relationships <i>between</i> them. Two types of social capital are investigated: the first involves the extent to which congregations bridge across structural holes, or bridge together otherwise disconnected congregations within the network; secondly, network closure involves the extent to which congregations are embedded in tight-knit clusters. Analyses use two types of homophily (religious and racial) to predict both outcomes, and they test linear and curvilinear relationships between both forms of homophily and the outcomes. Results indicate that congregations with moderate levels of religious homophily are more likely to bridge between otherwise disconnected congregations; however, congregations with low or high religious homophily as well as congregations with high racial homophily are more likely to be embedded in tight-knit relational clusters. This article contributes additional social network research on congregations and evidence of curvilinear relationships between homophily and social capital to the fields of social network analysis and sociology of religion.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/8/653religious congregationssocial networksinter-organizational networkshomophilysocial capitalstructural holes |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer M. McClure Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations Religions religious congregations social networks inter-organizational networks homophily social capital structural holes |
| title | Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations |
| title_full | Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations |
| title_fullStr | Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations |
| title_short | Homophily and Social Capital in a Network of Religious Congregations |
| title_sort | homophily and social capital in a network of religious congregations |
| topic | religious congregations social networks inter-organizational networks homophily social capital structural holes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/8/653 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jennifermmcclure homophilyandsocialcapitalinanetworkofreligiouscongregations |