Principal Investigator: Tommy Milford, MSW
Project Title: Six Degrees of Resource Location: Using the Small World Phenomenon as a Medium for Developing Rural Resource Delivery Systems and Social Capital
Introduction
The purpose of this project is to explore self-organizing service delivery systems and their potential to impact social capital for poverty alleviation. Working from Stanley Milgram's (1967) concept of "six degress of seperation" the Social Work Program of Southern Arkansas University is creating a model for resource identification and allocation within geographically and economically disconnected groups. Milgram's experiments concerning the "small world phenomenon" suggest that any person in the world can be connected to any other person via a series of linked relationships. Substituting Milgram's "any two people" with the more purposeful - one person with a need and one person with a resource - a model cna constructed connecting any need to any resource via a series of linked relationships or paths.
Through the proposed research, the network's ability to track goods moving through the system will be enhanced. Applet or scripts will be used to create and compute four measurements of social capital. Measurements would include a comprehensive and three-dimensional measurement of the social capital.
Methodology
Network information will be captured in relational tables using Postgres SQL database and reports generated by applets or scripting using either JAVA or PHP. The measurement of social capital will be accomplished by measuring the paths between partner groups and persons in need. Partner groups would be any community group that wished to participate in the network and is willing to provide representatives to be trained in network functions and use. A graduate social work student will assist with participant recruitment, co-facilitation of weekly groups, and help compile subject/primary care provider feedback reports. Student support will also be used to organize learning materials and speakers, data collection and analysis, and in writing a journal manuscript.
Tommy Milford, MSW
Director, Social Work Program
Southern Arkansas University
P.O. Box 1312
Magnolia, AR 71753
870-235-4208