"Social capital," a current idea gaining worldwide recognition, is increasingly influencing international, national, and local policy-making within the social sciences. But is it really a new concept? Can it be an operational, as opposed to rhetorical, concept? And can policies based on social capital deal with conflict and social exclusion? These questions are explored in this book through studies of education, health, political science, urban regeneration, and economic development. Providing a unique overview of the topic, together with critical discussion of its application in a wide variety of fields, the volume offers the first full critical analysis of social capital, written by academics, professionals and policy specialists who are all distinguished and prominent contributors in their own fields.