In the era of globalization, the world has changed rapidly within a few years, and the changing complexion of civil society is incommensurable with the traditional life in each society. With this concern and the growing interest in administrative restructure in developing countries, many political scientists and economists have argued that social capital is an important determinant of economic development and of the functioning of institutions. Social capital has commonly been studied in recent years from the perspective of sociology and political ...

In Thailand, women have become more and more active in various modern sectors ranging from academics to businesses. However, it is obvious that their presence in politics have been marginal. The number of female politicians was even lower in local governments than at the national levels. In order to understand why such a disparity in men’s and women’s political participation at the local level exists, there is a need for holistic inquiry and a cross fertilization of ideas. This dissertation, therefore, provided an in-depth understanding of local ...