Vermont is a state that has ranked very high in “social capital” for many years. Drawing on Vermonters’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and their willingness to engage in mitigation measures (i.e., masking, vaccinations) and overall willingness to promote restorative justice, we seek to demonstrate how Vermont’s social capital manifests itself through media. Research questions: How do people utilize social media and online news forums to build social capital? What is the relationship between participation in public health and criminal justice reform initiatives to online demonstrations of and calls for greater social capital?
 

Member of the SOCKS Capacity Team.
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Saint Michael's College.

Member of the SOCKS Capacity Team.
Professor of Political Science, Director of Public Health at Saint Michael's College.