THE INTERACTION OF HUMAN SOCIAL CAPITAL AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Rasak Bamidele

Department of Sociology and Psychology

Fountain University   Osogbo, Osun State

E-mail: delerasak@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

Understanding the makeup of a community’s human social capital is fundamental to understanding our capacities to not only absorb change, but potentially to also grow and prosper as a result of it.  The elements that comprise both social and human capital intimately interact to provide a ‘package’ of capacity that dictates a community’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances. A community’s human capital is comprised of the depth and diversity of skills existing in a community. To be able to use those skills however, we need social networks to connect us with those who need our skills, or government representatives to lead us through the bureaucracy. As a result, both human and social capitals are dealt with in the process of assessing the social component of sustainability, it has been argued that individually, communities, corporate entities or government bodies alone do not possess the resources needed to promote broad based sustainable development. Complementarities and partnerships forged within and across these groups of differing power are also necessary to achieve long term sustainable development. Therefore, this study will examine the interaction between human social capital and   sustainable economic development Nigeria.

Key words: Social capital, Economic development, Component of sustainability, financial capital, and Human capital

CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Agba, Arumun Solomon

Department of Sociology

University of Mkar, Nigeria.

solomon2000@rocketmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper dwells on culture and development in Nigeria. It focuses essentially on non-material cultural traits, which pertains to values, norms, beliefs, etc, in various societal systems such as: political, economic, religious and the social value-system, that are inimical to development strides in Nigeria. Structural Functionalism has been adopted as the theoretical instrument for its analysis. The paper establishes that culture is the spring-board from which virtually all development policies in almost all societal systems emerge. It thus, recommend that greater attention be paid to the Theatre for Development, which serves as an avenue for exploring the numerous Nigerian cultures for a culturally based development and media campaigns should be promoted for the restoration, preservation and improvement on positive Nigerian cultural values. This, the paper conclude, as the obligation of all Nigerians.