From: Maryellen Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: (fwd) New listserv on Social Capital--World Bank ** Please excuse the crossposting ** NEW LISTSERV ON SOCIAL CAPITAL The World Bank's Social Capital Thematic Group is launching Let's Talk -- an email based discussion group dedicated to social capital and development. Our hope is that many of the unanswered questions and puzzles surrounding social capital will be raised in this discussion group, which includes members from the World Bank staff and beyond. [More details below on how to sign up.] Lastly, I am please to announce that the management of the Social Capital Thematic Group has recently expanded. Gloria Davis, Director of the Social Development Department, and Michael Woolcock, Social Scientist with the Development Research Group, have joined me as co-chairs. For the next few months, Michael will be facilitating Let's Talk, the email discussion, as needed, along with Lindon Robison, Professor of Agricultural Economics at Michigan State University. Should you have any comments or questions about the social capital electronic discussion, newsletter or website, please contact Veronica Nyhan at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or (202) 473 7940. Email Discussion Kick-off Questions: There is a growing recognition that social capital has both benefits and costs. What are the policy implications of this? How can governments, NGOs, firms, development agencies, and communities themselves act to mitigate the costs and enhance the benefits? What concrete examples do we have of policies and/or programs around the world that have facilitated an increase in participation and effective governance in poor communities? Do the best initiatives always emerge `bottom-up', or is there also a useful role for `top-down' agents? Various indicators have been proposed to measure social capital. Which ones do you find most persuasive? Please share your thoughts on any of the above questions! We hope this will be a lively and useful forum in which to share ideas and resources on the topic of social capital. We look forward to hearing from you! Deepa Narayan Principal Social Development Specialist Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network The World Bank 1818 H. St. NW Washington, DC 20433 Other Discussion Details If you are currently a member of the Bank's Social Capital Thematic Group or the Michigan State Social Capital Initiative, you have already been signed up and will receive an introduction to the electronic discussion group in your email. As a member of the discussion, you will receive emails no more than twice a week. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the social capital email discussion go to: http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/scapital/list If you have friends and colleagues who may be interested in joining the electronic discussion, please forward this email to them. To view the World Bank's Social Capital Website, go to: http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/scapital ***********************
