Sowing the Seeds of Trust Norms and Networks for Community Capacity Building and Socio-Economic Resilience

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Article Type: Research Article
Issue: Vol. 2 No. 3 (2026)
Published: 29 July 2026
Pages: 20-32

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Gangwar, D. S. (2026). Sowing the Seeds of Trust Norms and Networks for Community Capacity Building and Socio-Economic Resilience. Crisis and Resilience, 2(3), 20-32. https://doi.org/10.65773/cr.2.3.147

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Authors

Dheerendra S. Gangwar *
Faculty of Technology, VMSB Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The necessity of community capacity building has been recognized as a key element in attaining sustained economic growth in rural areas in the post-COVID-19 era. People realized the importance of social capital in the form of cohesion and networking during this tough time and started supporting each other. Social capital is defined as neighbourhood solidarity and social bonding based on trust, norms, and networks. Creation and fostering of social capital play a significant role in the fulfilment of collective human goals. This article describes the role of social capital in ensuring socio-economic resilience through community capacity building. It examines how collaborations, resource sharing, and collective efforts help people in ensuring socio-economic well-being. With the help of the activity theory framework, this case study assessed the impact of social cohesion and mutual assistance on the economic performance of the rural livelihood systems. Data collected and analyzed through personal interviews, interactive sessions, survey forms, workshops, and field observations were found helpful in gaining a deeper comprehension of the socio-cultural characteristics and needs of participants. This study concludes that social capital contributes to the growth of other forms of capitals by fostering interactions for identification of common problems and their potential solutions for developing socio-economic resilience. It also aims to create a shared understanding of social capital in vulnerability assessment and resilience initiatives.

Keywords:
social capital, activity theory framework, rural livelihood systems, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, vulnerability assessment, community resilience

Article Details

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