The Dark Side of Social Capital: When Community Ties Exclude and Silence

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2026.10.2.383

Abstract

This study examines the dark side of social capital by analyzing how community ties may generate social exclusion and suppress critical community participation through normative pressure. It proposes and empirically tests a “dark pathway” model integrating bonding and bridging social capital, social exclusion, normative pressure, and critical participation within a unified framework. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 450 adult community members across urban (n = 230) and rural (n = 220) contexts. Structural Equation Modeling was employed, with mediation effects estimated using bootstrapping (5,000 resamples). Both the measurement and structural models demonstrated good to excellent fit (CFI > 0.95; TLI > 0.95; RMSEA < 0.05). The results indicate that social exclusion has a strong and statistically significant negative effect on critical participation (β < 0; p < .01). In contrast, bonding and bridging social capital do not exhibit significant direct effects, suggesting that their influence operates through indirect or mediated pathways. Normative pressure functions as a significant mediating mechanism, as indicated by a 95% bootstrap confidence interval that does not include zero. Multi-group analysis further reveals that this indirect pathway is substantially stronger in rural than in urban contexts. These findings challenge the conventional assumption that social capital is inherently beneficial, highlighting instead its context-dependent and potentially exclusionary consequences. The study underscores the importance of relational dynamics, normative constraints, and social context in shaping participatory outcomes.

Author Biographies

Meli Fauziah, Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University, Bandung, Indonesia

Meli Fauziah specializes in education and social psychology, with research interests in learning processes, pedagogy, and cognitive development. Her work examines how educational practices and social relations influence learning outcomes and community development.

Anggi Saeful Majid, Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University, Bandung, Indonesia

Anggi Saeful Majid is a recent graduate of Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University, Bandung, with interests in political science and social sciences. He focuses on data analysis, mixed-method research, and generating empirical insights into governance, digital society, public policy, and community development.

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Published
2026-07-15
How to Cite
Fauziah, M., & Saeful Majid, A. (2026). The Dark Side of Social Capital: When Community Ties Exclude and Silence. Changing Societies & Personalities, 10(2), 256-280. doi:10.15826/csp.2026.10.2.383
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Vol. 10, No. 2 (2026)
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