Discussion networks in Turkey: a social capital approach to informal social relations

Abstract

The present study inquires into the informal social network underpinnings of generalized trust in Turkey. For this purpose, it utilizes survey data on Turkish discussion networks. The findings show that informal social relations in Turkey are mostly composed of nonkinship relations, which serve as an important bridge across diverse social groups. The socio-economic cleavages of age and education, however, are found to be important filters through which both kinship and non-kinship relations influence generalized trust. Overall, the analysis affirms the relationship between individuals’ socialization experiences and generalized trust. However, the influence of diverse social relations is not uniform and is much more complicated than is hypothesized in the social capital literature.