Passage: The concept of social capital refers to the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. Research in this area typically distinguishes between "bonding" and "bridging" social capital. Bonding social capital refers to the close-knit ties found within homogeneous groups, such as families or ethnic enclaves. These ties provide deep emotional support and a sense of security but can sometimes lead to insularity or the exclusion of outsiders. In contrast, bridging social capital involves outward-looking networks that encompass people across different social, economic, or ethnic backgrounds. Bridging ties are often described as "weak" because they are less emotionally intense, yet they are critical for social mobility and the diffusion of new information. A society with high bonding capital but low bridging capital may experience high levels of internal group loyalty alongside significant social fragmentation and conflict between groups. Conversely, successful diverse democracies often rely on robust bridging capital to foster the "generalized trust" necessary for cooperation among relative strangers. Thus, the balance between these two forms of capital is a key predictor of a community's resilience and capacity for collective action.