Social Capital, Diversity, and the Welfare StateSocial capital is arguably the most critical idea to emerge in thesocial sciences in the last two decades. Emphasizing the importance ofsocial networks, communication, and the symbolic and material exchangesthat strengthen communities, social capital has been the subject of anexpansive body of literature. Social Capital, Diversity, and theWelfare State represents a landmark consideration of the diversemeanings, causal foundations, and positive and