Final Year Project

Project Title

Social Capital and the Assimilation of Tatto Artistry in Contemporary Culture

Description

My paper explores how tattoos interact with social capital across three cultural and historical contexts: Auschwitz prisoner tattoos, Yakuza tattoos, and contemporary American tattoos. Drawing on theories by Bourdieu, Coleman, Putnam, and Portes, it emphasizes a context-specific understanding of social capital rather than a single definition. In Auschwitz, tattoos were used to dehumanize and sever social bonds, but later became symbols of shared identity among survivors and their families. Yakuza tattoos create strong internal networks of loyalty and support but also lead to external exclusion and stigma. In modern American society, tattoos can foster informal communities such as mental health advocacy groups but still carry professional and social stigma. The paper ultimately argues that tattoos can both build and restrict social capital, depending on cultural and historical context.