Complex cultures: Rereading the story about health and social capital

The concept of social capital has precipitated burgeoning debate and exciting opportunities for public health research. However, it would seem that as the debate has been formed it has focused almost exclusively on the way in which formal agencies can work in partnership to help 'local communities' build their social capital. There has been little exploration of how these agencies themselves may be a site for the development or erosion of social capital, or of the complex interplay between organizational culture and social capital. This article suggests that this is an important area to explore in our attempts to understand social capital within contemporary society and the role it may play in improving public health.