Social Capital, Institutional transformations and Development;

•  Recent research programs of Professor Nan Lin

           Professor Nan Lin’s  recent and current research focuses on the development of a theory and methodology of social capital.  The theoretical work is summarized in: Nan Lin. Social Capital: A Theory of Social Structure and Action (2001, Cambridge University Press).  The development of measurement includes effort at the position-generator methodology and elaboration of mobilized contact-chains in job searches.  Several publications have appeared in journals and book chapters.  Professor Nan Lin continues to organize and coordinates international scholarships on social capital, with one recent edited volume, Nan Lin, Karen Cook, and Ronald Burt, editors, Social Capital: Theory and Research (2001, Aldine de Gruyter), and contributions to the Encyclopedia of Economic Sociology (2005, Nan Lin “Social Capital,” edited by Jens Beckert and Milan Zagiroski, Rutlege Ltd.) and Handbook on Social Capital (2006, Nan Lin “A Network Theory of Social Capital,”, edited by Dario Castiglione, Jan van Deth and Guglielmo Wolleb, Oxford University Press).                                   

            Professor Nan Lin has continued to conduct research on social capital, illustrated by the following projects and student participation: 

 1.  Along with several scholars in Taiwan, Professor Nan Lin is leading a research project, funded by Academia Sinica, on the creation and return of social capital based on panel surveys of national surveys in the US, Mainland China and Taiwan.  Co-investigators include: Yang-chih Fu and Chih-jou Chen at the IOS, Cyrus Chu at the IOE, and Rourong Yu at the Office of Surveys, all at the Academia Sinica, Raymay Hsu of National Chengchi University, Yih-zih Hwang at the National Taidong University, and and Wei-hsin Yu, at the University of Texas, Austin.  Phase I data collection was completed by April 2005, including 3,000 respondents from each society.  Initial workshop was held in May, 2005, to go over the data sets and design specific studies by various investigators.  A seminar in December 2005 will feature presentations of initial results from various investigators.  The second-wave surveys are scheduled toward the end of 2006.

 2.  Professor Nan Lin is editing, with Bonnie Erickson of the University of Toronto, a research monograph with a collection of international scholars from East Asia, North America and Europe, on research on social capital with the methodology of position generator.  The volume, entitled Social Capital: Advances in Research, is under contract with Oxford University Press.

3.   Professor Nan Lin am working on a monograph, under contract with Cambridge University Press, entitled Social Capital in Organizations.  The data, collected in 2002, sampled 197 work units, stratified over state, collective, private, joint/foreign firms and by industries, in 12 urban cities.  In each sampled work unit, interviews were conducted with the occupant and supervisors from sampled positions.  The data consists of (1) the city census, (2) work unit surveys, (3) occupant samples, and (4) supervisor samples.  Current analysis examines the hypothesis that deployment of workers with social capital differentiates across positions in work units sensitive to the competitive market environment, but not in work units still under the central command structure.

4.      Professor Nan Lin is initiating a research program tentatively entitled: “The Rising China and Chinese Capitalism.”  The program examines recent and current developments in China , and analyzes the nature of its economic, political and social institutions.  The principal argument is that China represents a new form of capitalism, featuring the state as a participating capitalist, the embedding of social activities in social relations, and the joint motivating forces of self-interest and national interest/development.  The program also assesses China as an emerging power in the global community and possible US responses to the challenge.    An initial presentation of the outline of the program was presented as a keynote speech at the annual meeting of the Sociological Research Association in August, 2005.  Qiushi Feng, a doctoral student, assists in one of the sub-projects. 

 5.    Several doctoral dissertations are being conducted under Professor Nan Lin’s guidance at Duke University on social capital.  All of the dissertations are based on various data sets mentioned above.  Martha Martinez, using the 2001 China firm surveys, completee her dissertation in August and becomes assistant professor at DePaul University .  Dan Ao, will use China and US surveys 2005, to address critical issues recently raised by Ted Mouw and demonstrate the utility of social capital through routine network exchanges and effects of job contacts in job searches.  Joon-mo Son will use US, Mainland China and Taiwan data to examine institutional effects (political regimes versus cultural institutions) on social capital.  Shanhui Wu will use US and China data to explore macro-structural contingencies (social, political, economic and cultural) in the acquisition and return of social capital.  Two other dissertations to be undertaken by Lijun Song and Qiushi Feng are at the developing stage.