Exploring Social Capital as a Strategy for Social Work Practice in China: A Qualitative Inquiry

This qualitative study explores the strategies employed by social workers in Guangzhou, China, utilizing social capital to enhance social work practice in the context of the region’s welfare recalibration. Through semi-structured interviews with 30 social workers and the analysis of 101 evaluation reports from 14 Social Work Service Stations (SWSSs), two primary strategies including associativity and resource mobilization are examined. The study identifies three key themes: More bonding, less bridging, even less linking in frontline practice; more mobilizing existing resources and less mobilizing new resources are employed; social capital strategies as adaptive responses to welfare recalibration. These strategies are not only essential in responding to local challenges but also serve as adaptive responses to the ongoing disruptions of neoliberal welfare restructuring and resource-constrained environments. By situating these findings within broader global debates on social policy transformation in the Global South, this study contributes to understanding how social capital can be strategically utilized as strategies to facilitate social services in contexts characterized by limited resources and shifting responsibilities. The findings provide insights for policymakers and practitioners, offering a practical framework for integrating social capital strategies for frontline practice.