Does More Social Capital Always Mean More Civic Engagement? The Role of Varying Levels of Bonding and Bridging Social Capital in the Development of Community and Political Civic Engagement among Pakistani University Students

Abstract

This study investigates whether higher levels of bonding social capital, bridging social capital, or a combination of both, are linked to increase the participation in both community and political civic engagement. The research used a quantitative design. Multistage sampling was used to select the sample of 788 students from three universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Analysis of covariance showed that both bonding and bridging social capital, independently and together, significantly predicted higher levels of community civic engagement. While both bonding and bridging social capital separately predicted increased political civic engagement, the combination of high levels of both types of social capital did not show a significant effect on political participation. These findings emphasize the intricate relationship between different forms of social capital and their varying influence on different types of civic engagement. The results suggest that fostering strong connections within social groups and across diverse social groups is crucial for encouraging active citizenship among university students.