{"title":"Expansion, cohesion and diversity: The network advantages of microfinance groups in Indian villages","authors":"Jaemin Lee, Mudit Kumar Singh","doi":"10.1002/jid.3828","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Social network approaches on microfinance self-help groups (SHGs) find that their organizational capacity lies in network expansion—a social capital basis for various policy interventions through SHGs. To what extent do SHGs create connections in and out of the group boundaries in the caste- and gender-segregated India? This study adds group cohesion and contact diversity as potential network advantages and fully assesses the relationship-spanning structure of SHGs in India. Modelling network structures in 71 villages in the Diffusion of Microfinance dataset, we identify SHGs' community bonding as well as bridging capacities through the simultaneously expanded and cohesive helpful exchange ties. However, SHG members' exchange ties are more caste- and gender-homogeneous, suggesting that SHGs bond rather than bridge individuals across these salient socio-demographic groups. We develop a policy imperative to promote mixing based on the socio-demographic composition when aggregating individual SHGs into higher-level units.</p>","PeriodicalId":47986,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jid.3828","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of International Development","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jid.3828","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"DEVELOPMENT STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Social network approaches on microfinance self-help groups (SHGs) find that their organizational capacity lies in network expansion—a social capital basis for various policy interventions through SHGs. To what extent do SHGs create connections in and out of the group boundaries in the caste- and gender-segregated India? This study adds group cohesion and contact diversity as potential network advantages and fully assesses the relationship-spanning structure of SHGs in India. Modelling network structures in 71 villages in the Diffusion of Microfinance dataset, we identify SHGs' community bonding as well as bridging capacities through the simultaneously expanded and cohesive helpful exchange ties. However, SHG members' exchange ties are more caste- and gender-homogeneous, suggesting that SHGs bond rather than bridge individuals across these salient socio-demographic groups. We develop a policy imperative to promote mixing based on the socio-demographic composition when aggregating individual SHGs into higher-level units.
期刊介绍:
The Journal aims to publish the best research on international development issues in a form that is accessible to practitioners and policy-makers as well as to an academic audience. The main focus is on the social sciences - economics, politics, international relations, sociology and anthropology, as well as development studies - but we also welcome articles that blend the natural and social sciences in addressing the challenges for development. The Journal does not represent any particular school, analytical technique or methodological approach, but aims to publish high quality contributions to ideas, frameworks, policy and practice, including in transitional countries and underdeveloped areas of the Global North as well as the Global South.