Abstract
BACKGROUND: The effects of war as well as military conflict include long-term physical and psychological harm to children and adults. Social relations and trust play a role in peace building and conflict resolution. Social capital is believed to facilitate institutional and interpersonal trust as well as safety and security, and thus may become an important resource in times of military conflict.OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to analyse how social capital may be transformed due to a military conflict in contemporary Ukraine and to explore the role of voluntarily services in this change. Further we aim to discuss the possible influence of social capital transformation on mental health in times of military conflict.METHODS: A qualitative case study design was chosen to explore it. In-depth interviews were chosen as a method for data collection. Informant’s selection criteria were: either to be involved in volunteering activities in the city of Khmelnitsky (which is the place of research) or to receive volunteering help. 18 interviews were conducted.Informants were reached by snowball sampling. Interviews are collected, transcribed, translated and analyzed using constructive Grounded Theory approach of Charmaz.RESULTS: Our results show that social capital transforms during military conflict experiences. The changes happen both in cognitive and structural components since they are connected. The most important changes occur in bonding social capital, where new formation such as brotherhood, emerges and replaces previous bonding ties with family and friends. In addition, voluntarily acting actors (those who normally belong to bridging social capital) transform into relations with bonding entities. New forms of social capital are thus generated through the existence of voluntary services, and these networks provide essential social support in times of military conflict. Perceived support softens negative emotional responses to traumatic events. In line with the stress-buffering model, our results support that the formation of new social capital in times of military conflict may protect against the negative mental health effects of these experiences.
Highlights
War has a tragic effect on health and on mental health of the population in particular
Our results show that social capital transforms during military conflict experiences
The most important changes occur in bonding social capital, where new formation such as brotherhood, emerges and replaces previous bonding ties with family and friends
Summary
War has a tragic effect on health and on mental health of the population in particular. The effects of war include long-term physical and psychological harm to children and adults, as well as reduction in material and human capital. The WHO estimated that, in situations of armed conflicts throughout the world, 10% of people experiencing traumatic events will have serious problems with mental health and another 10% will develop behaviour that hinders their ability to function effectively (WHO, 2001). War or military conflict is not just a private experience and a collective social suffering having secondary consequences on religious, political, economic and social relations (including family) as well (Kienzler, 2008; Summerfield, 2000). 1.1 The Recent Military Conflict in Ukraine. The case of Ukraine in Eastern Europe illustrates just another military conflict experience in the world. The effects of war as well as military conflict include long-term physical and psychological harm to children and adults. Social capital is believed to facilitate institutional and interpersonal trust as well as safety and security, and may become an important resource in times of military conflict
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