Differences in Social Capital Across the Croatian Population Based on the Level of Settlement Urbanisation

U ovom radu analizirane su razlike u društvenom kapitalu između sredina različitog stupnja urbaniziranosti u Hrvatskoj. Iako je analiza tih razlika u međunarodnim okvirima istraživački plodna tema, u Hrvatskoj dosad ciljano nije provedena. Slijedeći Putnamov pristup, društveni kapital je konceptualiziran i operacionaliziran kroz tri dimenzije: povjerenje u institucije, neformalnu i formalnu društvenu umreženost te društvenu, tj. političku i građansku, participaciju. Podaci su prikupljeni 2015. godine anketnim istraživanjem. Korišten je etapno stratificiran reprezentativan uzorak punoljetnog stanovništva Hrvatske (N = 1 000). Veće povjerenje u političke i društvene institucije ustanovljeno je među ruralnim nego urbanim stanovništvom. Stanovništvo velikih gradova iskazalo je manje razine neformalne društvene umreženosti (kontakti s rođacima i susjedima) od stanovništva sela i gradova srednje i manje veličine, dok u pogledu formalne društvene umreženosti (članstvo u udrugama) razlike nisu pronađene. Stanovništvo gradova srednje i manje veličine u volonterskom je radu (građanska participacija) bilo aktivnije nego ruralno. Na posljednjim parlamentarnim izborima (politička participacija) glasalo je više stanovnika velikih nego srednjih i manjih gradova, dok je na posljednjim predsjedničkim izborima glasalo više stanovnika velikih gradova nego sela. Nalazi osvjetljuju teme koje tek treba istražiti, poput odrednica društvenog kapitala unutar sredina sličnog stupnja urbaniziranosti te regionalnih razlika u društvenom kapitalu među sredinama visoke, srednje i niske urbaniziranosti.This paper examines differences in social capital among the Croatian population across areas with different urbanisation levels. Although the analysis of such differences has been a productive research topic internationally, no studies in Croatia have aimed for it so far. Following Putnam’s approach, social capital was conceptualised and operationalised by three dimensions: trust in institutions, informal as well as formal social networks, and social (political and civic) participation. The data were gathered in a 2015 survey. A representative multi-stage stratified sample of adults from Croatia was used (N = 1 000). Trust in political and civic institutions was higher in rural than in urban areas. Compared to rural areas and small-to-medium-sized urban settlements, the population of large urban settlements engaged less in informal social networks (contacts with relatives and neighbours). No differences among settlements were found regarding membership in civic associations (formal social networks). The population of small-to-medium-sized cities reported more volunteering activities (political participation) than the residents of rural areas. In terms of political participation, the residents of large cities reported a higher voter turnout than the residents of small-to-medium-sized cities in the last parliamentary elections, as well as a higher voter turnout than the residents of rural areas in the last presidential elections. The findings shed light on topics that need to be examined in Croatia in future research, such as determinants of social capital within areas with a similar level of urbanisation and regional differences in social capital across areas with a high, medium and low level of urbanisation