Some time ago I expressed a concern about the tendency to theorise and problematise social capital away from local everyday life. It's important to take account of shallow conversations and brief interactions that take place in the public realm. And now I've just been reading about some research into ephemeral relationships on the trams of Antwerp, carried out by Ruth Soenen.
Over eight months Soenen observed the kinds of brief relationships that spring up and disappear in this kind of public context - she notes for example how people start talking if they have to help one another avoid falling when there's a sudden stop, or if they see something unusual through the window. She records the catalytic effect of a colourful and talkative person stepping on board.
She tries to link this to notions of 'community', arguing that in-depth relationships 'don't have a priviliged status' in this respect:
'Duration doesn’t seem to be the essential marker for the experience of community... Ephemeral relationships can be a social base for the experience of community.'
Soenen goes on to argue that there are limitations in the measurement of social capital when we ignore the potential of ephemeral relationships. Her book about this study is published in Dutch only.
Thanks Jan. My title, showing my age, is from Flanders and Swan.
Previously: Segregation in public space (with reference to buses in Jerusalem).
This is interesting. My feeling is that such transitory contacts somehow embed you in a context where more substantial relationships can develop. They enhance and enrich our experience of life in general and when they happen on our regular journey to work for example, they do likewise for our sense of a community (for want of a better word!) in being.
Posted by: ian | Thursday, 27 September 2007 at 10:49