The study of social capital through the social network analysis for a participatory tourism management: a governance network proposal for Tierra Bobal (Valencia)

Resumen

In the framework of governance, the consolidation of the system of relationships is much more complex than in traditional government. As a disruptive, innovative and territorially promoting instrument, governance requires the active and permanent participation and involvement of all stakeholders, which necessarily entails collaboration and commitment. However, building this decision-making space (the main purpose of governance) requires a precise articulation of the people involved, and their choice must therefore be based on aspects such as trust, legitimacy, prestige and leadership. Assessing the stock of social capital appears to be the best strategy for building a permanent, high-performance decision-making body. After the initial identification of one hundred and fifty people, twenty-six in-depth interviews were carried out in Tierra Bobal to characterise the network of relationships. The results show a generalised lack of closeness and intermediation, which implies an excessive concentration of power, prestige, trust, flow centrality, etc. in a very small number of actors, which hinders the cohesion of the network and its sustainability in space and time.