Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Fluid Social Capital: A Novel Framework for Relational Analysis within the Context of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Raheleh Parvin 1
Hossein EsmaeiliSangari 2
Akbar Abdollahzadeh Taraf 3
1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran. Email: Raheleh.parvin@iau.ir
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Structures, Research Institute of Buildings and Urban Fabric, Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran. Email: Taraffarat@yahoo.com
10.22083/jccs.2025.526273.4048
Abstract
Introduction: Intangible cultural heritage extends beyond language, art, and rituals to represent a dynamic structure that sustains collective memory, reproduces cultural identity, and reinforces social cohesion. In recent decades, global discourses on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage have shifted from conservation-oriented approaches toward models emphasizing community participation and contextualization. Social capital has emerged as a key component in shaping cultural policies, redefining local identities, and reducing vulnerability to social disruptions. However, much of the existing literature examines social capital from a static and quantitative perspective that does not align with the experiential nature of local cultures. In this context, the concept of “fluid social capital” offers an alternative approach, emphasizing a relational and context-sensitive understanding of social capital. This notion reinterprets transformations in social relations, heritage practices, and the redefinition of cultural policies in response to human experiences. Local communities are not passive carriers of traditions but active agents capable of reviving, refining, and challenging official narratives. Understanding social capital within this framework requires a multifaceted perspective that reflects the diversity of human relationships with heritage, rooted in lived experience and collective memory.
Methods: This study develops the concept of “fluid social capital” within intangible cultural heritage through a mixed-methods design that integrates interpretive perspectives, indigenous narratives, and quantitative data to examine social dynamics. In the qualitative phase, lived experiences and cultural interactions were explored using autoethnography, narrative inquiry, and participant observation. Data were analyzed through thematic coding. The quantitative phase employed a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire derived from qualitative findings and the literature, comprising 48 items across four constructs. Purposeful sampling included 100 cultural heritage experts and faculty members, yielding 83 valid responses. Reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. Correlation analyses and multiple regression were used to examine relationships among variables. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling validated the measurement model. Group differences were tested using t-tests and one-way ANOVA. This integrated approach provides a basis for analyzing findings within the fluid social capital framework, highlighting dynamism, relationality, and contextual embeddedness.
Results: Qualitative findings were collected through participant observation, field notes, and documented narratives, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Open coding identified key phrases such as “local trust networks,” “oral transmission of skills,” and “cultural flexibility in crises.” These were grouped during axial coding into broader categories, including “multilayered interaction” and “contextual adaptability,” and ultimately organized under the core theme of “fluid social capital,” reflecting the dynamic nature of social interactions within intangible heritage contexts.  
The main themes include:  
• Dynamic Interaction: complex relationships among individuals and groups, including social networks, knowledge transfer, and trust.  
• Cultural Reproduction: transmission of cultural values and identity through rituals and narratives.  
• Contextual Flexibility: adaptability of social capital to change and cultural resilience.  
• Group Boundaries: definition and management of social and identity boundaries.  
The quantitative phase employed a 48-item Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 83 cultural heritage specialists. Reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. Normality tests indicated mixed distributions; accordingly, Pearson and Spearman correlations were applied. Results showed significant positive correlations between social trust and cultural memory, contextual dynamics, and temporality. Collective participation was correlated with power inequality and normative dimensions. Gender and age differences were observed in social trust and temporality, supporting the fluid social capital framework and suggesting demographic influences on certain aspects.
Discussion: This study redefines social capital within intangible cultural heritage by introducing a framework termed “fluid social capital.” Although social capital plays a crucial role in social cohesion and interactions, existing research often approaches it through static, structuralist, and quantitative perspectives that fail to capture the dynamic nature of local cultures. This gap underscores the need for a context-sensitive approach to explain human interactions in living cultural heritage. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with experts and practitioners, participant observation, and autoethnographic narratives. Thematic analysis, including axial and selective coding, was used to extract key components. Quantitative data were gathered using a 48-item Likert-scale questionnaire distributed to 100 cultural heritage experts, with 83 valid responses analyzed. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.88, indicating high reliability. Findings indicate that social trust, contextual dynamism, collective participation, cultural memory, and lived experience play key roles in reinforcing fluid social capital. Significant differences were observed across groups in several components, highlighting the role of fluid social capital in strengthening social interactions. These results suggest that fluid social capital provides a flexible framework for understanding interactions in living cultural heritage and emphasize the need to reconsider cultural policies and adopt participatory approaches for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
Keywords
Fluid Social Capital
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Social Interactions
Cultural Memory

Subjects

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