Redes asociativas, inmigración y participación. Una aproximación empírica a los vínculos entre capital social y participación asociativa

The paper presents the results of an empirical dissertation done in order to know the connections between the social capital owned by immigrant organizations and its participatory strategies. It explores the role of its organizational networks in civil society on the configuration of the discourse of its leading members about migrant participation. The investigation has been carried out through the case study approach by comparing five typological representative organizations in the field of immigration. The object of study has been considered under the conceptual and operative frame of the Theory and Analysis of Social Networks combined with the Content Analysis. Through egocentered network questionnaire and semi-structured interviews it was possible to obtain the ego’s cognitive representation of the relationships that shape the associations’ network. Results show a correspondence between the orientation of the discourses and the organizations’ type of social capital (cohesive, bonding or integrating, bridging). Nevertheless, the relationship and importance of the Public Administration on the relational network appears as an even more important factor in the determination of the organizations’ will to influence and participate on the political matters of the local community.