Socio-economic and Psycho-personal Vulnerability vis-a-vis Status of Social Capital: A study of Women Self-Help Group Members in Cooch Behar District of West Bengal, India

Social Capital, being the resultant force of social bonds, ties and social norms is one of the most important types of assets in the asset pentagon of livelihood analysis framework and is considered as one of the important contributors for sustainable livelihood. Increased status of social capital may reduce vulnerability and drive towards wellbeing. In the traditional rural communities these vulnerabilities especially in case of women are manifested in the socio-economic sphere which in turn makes them psychologically vulnerable too. The present study was conducted on 60 members of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) selected through simple random sampling in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal to assess the status of social capital and thereby to assess the socio psychological vulnerability. Results showed that women self-help group members possess moderate to high level of social capital. Social characters like religion and caste had no bearing with social capital but economic and psycho-personal characters influence the acquisition of social capital.