Exploring the Role of Dynamic Social Capital in Collaborative Governance

The literature indicates that social capital plays a crucial role in facilitating collective action in collaborative governance. Despite this important role, the extant literature has not systematically conceptualized what forms of social capital exist in the context of collaborative activities and when and where such social capital contributes to the effectiveness of collaborative regimes. Reviewing the role of social capital as addressed by prior studies, this article advances a theoretical lens to assess how social capital fosters collaborative governance. Specifically, multiple forms of social capital can help participants to achieve collaborative goals throughout sequential phases and substantive arenas of collaboration.