Social capital and social integration after project-induced displacement and resettlement: exploring the impact on three life stages in the Three Gorges Project

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the social integration of individuals in the Fuling District, Chongqing Municipality, China, following the construction of the Three Gorges Project. The experience of these individuals is defined as a case of project-induced displacement and resettlement. Specifically, the paper focuses on the effects of multilevel social capital on social integration at three different life stages, i.e. young adults, middle-aged people, and the elderly. Social capital is classified into two levels in this study, i.e. individual social capital (e.g. strong ties or weak ties) and community social capital (e.g. social interaction, social trust, and neighborly reciprocity). A total of 620 eligible participants were interviewed in six resettled communities. A multilevel analysis was applied to the data. The results revealed that the specific life stage plays a moderating role in the effects of social capital on social integration. Similarly, social integration is affected by the relationships between individual and community social capital for young and middle adults. This study revealed that strong ties were positively associated with social integration for young adults. In contrast, weak ties compromised social integration for middle-aged people and the elderly. The positive effects of social interaction were observed for middle-aged people and the elderly. Neighborly reciprocity was positive for young adults and middle-aged people. The positive effects of social trust remained stable across different life stages. The study concludes that social capital should be cultivated according to the specific needs of adults depending on their life stages.