Social capital in Yemen

Abstract

Social capital in Yemen is informed primarily by tribal affiliation, particularly in rural areas and in the north. Other important sources including faith based institutions, local community solidarity initiatives, civil society organisations and support from the diaspora. While social capital has been eroded due to political, social and economic changes in recent years, the strong traditions of community self-help and dispute mediation continue to be important for some communities during the current crisis. However, given the local diversity of impact, resilience and coping strategies, local level analyses are key to understanding social capital in individual communities. This rapid review has not found much literature that specifically applies the concept ‘social capital’ in research or analysis on Yemen. Therefore the review has taken a wide approach to search for relevant literature on Yemen’s societal institutions and relations.