Indicators Of Social Cohesion Research Articles

Progress in the Field of Sustainable Development as a Result of Implementing the Potential of Social Cohesion: Regional Context

The study examines the role of social cohesion in the context of sustainable development of regional societies. It is proved that progress in the field of sustainable development depends on social cohesion as one of the factors ensuring the achievement of environmental, economic and social changes. A mechanism of social cohesion has been developed, the result of which, along with social stability and justice, strengthening citizens' trust in state and public institutions, social welfare, is a request for sustainable development of regions. The article proves that modern challenges, such as social inequality, migration and ethnic differences, can weaken the potential of social cohesion as a catalyst for sustainable development of regions. To quantify the level of social cohesion, a system of indicators is proposed that integrates economic, demographic, educational and other indicators, and allows for a detailed analysis of the current state of social cohesion in various regions. Taking into account the impact of social cohesion indicators on the progress of sustainable development of regions is realised through the inclusion of indicators that reflect the level of social cohesion potential and, at the same time, are a source of data for assessing the achievement of sustainable development goals. Using the example of the EU countries, the analysis of indicators related to the blocks of trust in institutions and economic indicators in assessing the level of social cohesion was carried out. The estimated indicators are also taken into account when calculating the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS): SDG 1, SDG 8, SDG 10, SDG 16. The proposed approach makes it possible to take into account the indicators that are most vulnerable in terms of their impact on the progress of regions in the field of sustainable development, as well as to form a list of measures, the implementation of which will ensure capacity building of the social cohesion mechanism (hereinafter referred to as SCM). The main innovative contribution of the study is the development of an economic and mathematical model for optimizing resources and prioritizing measures aimed at strengthening social cohesion. The model takes into account the amount of available resources, the need to use them for the implementation of specific activities and an expert assessment of their priority. This approach provides an objective and systematic solution to the challenges of sustainable development, focusing on social cohesion as a key factor. The study proves that the application of the model requires high-quality data, competence in the process of interpreting modelling results and active interaction with stakeholders. In conclusion, it is emphasized that the integration of social cohesion into strategic planning and the application of the proposed model are the basis for more effective and sustainable development of regional society.

The Impact of Social Inclusion and Financial Development on CO2 Emissions: Panel Analysis from Developing Countries

The intricate interplay between the environment and the economy entails numerous multifaceted factors that require thorough investigation. Civic activism, intergroup cohesion, and gender equality are among the pertinent factors that hold the potential to significantly impact CO2 emissions in developing economies. However, these variables have not been explored to the extent that their importance warrants, leaving much to be studied and understood about their complex relationships with carbon emissions. Currently, developing nations find themselves more vulnerable and exposed to a plethora of environmental issues. In response to this pressing matter, the focus of this study is to expound upon the impact of various factors on the environment. To achieve this aim, this study utilizes annual data from 46 developing countries, spanning the extensive period from 1990 to 2014. Using the generalized method of moments and empirical Bayes methods, this study’s results emphasize the significant impact that civic activism, gender equality, intergroup cohesion, and financial development can have on increasing CO2 emissions. However, civic activism reduces CO2 emissions. These findings highlight the crucial importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that accounts for both economic and social cohesion indicators when tackling environmental challenges.

Social Cohesivity of The Indonesian Muslim Community During the Ramadan

This study aims to analyze the social cohesiveness of Indonesian Muslim communities during Ramadan. Moral sense, sense of belonging, social har mony, sense of security, and tolerance in this study are used as indicators to understand social cohesiveness. Data were collected through questionnaires with 600 respondents randomly selected in three districts/cities in West Sumatra and Yogyakarta provinces. The study found that two indicators of social cohesion were in the high category, namely a sense of morality (3.39 or 84.75%) and social harmony (3.30 or 82.50%), while three other indicators of social cohesion were in the medium category, namely a sense of belonging (2.34 or 58.50%), a sense of security (2.54 or 63.50%), and tolerance (2.70 or 67.50%). Thus, the social cohesion of the Muslim community during Ramadan is in the moderate category, with an average of 2.85 or equivalent to 71.17 percent. This study concludes that Ramadan has not contributed significantly to building social cohesiveness. The ambiguity of faith, which is ambiguous in understanding reality; sacred and profane, can be identified as one of the reasons why Ramadan has not been able to build social cohesiveness.

Forced Migration and Social Cohesion: Evidence from the 2015/16 Mass Inflow in Germany

A commonly expressed concern about immigration is that it undermines social cohesion in the receiving country. In this paper, we study the impact of a large and sudden inflow of asylum seekers on several indicators of social cohesion. In 2015/16, over one million asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere arrived in Germany. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this inflow changed the public opinion on hosting asylum seekers, from being highly welcoming to fairly negative within a few months. Using individual- and county-level panel data, we test whether the evidence supports this apparent shift in attitudes. In a difference-in-differences design, we compare the attitudes of individuals in areas with large vs. small local inflows before and after the inflow. In individual survey data, we find mixed evidence of an impact on social cohesion. In a representative sample, we find no evidence that the inflow undermined social cohesion, except for a negative effect on donations to charity. In areas with high vote shares for the populist party AfD, we find that the inflow led to greater anti-immigrant sentiment and a greater concern about crime. We also show that areas with larger increases in the number of asylum seekers experienced a significant increase in anti-immigrant violence, which lasted for about two years before returning to its pre-inflow level. This effect was larger in areas with higher unemployment and greater support for AfD.

DIVERSITY AND INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The relevance of the research topic is that modern societies are diverse and face several challenges that appear to threaten sustainable community development. Many of them are related to diversity and intercultural communication issues. The purpose of the article is to determine the main aspects and practical applications of diversity and intercultural competence in the focus of community sustainable development. The objectives are to look through recent publications dedicated to the various aspects of intercultural competence and diversity competence; to analyze and summarize the models of intercultural communication and competence described in recent publications, as well as diversity competences; to formulate the basic principles of diversity management for sustainable development of educational and business communities. Study results. The article outlines the main features of different models of intercultural and diversity competence. The main approaches to intercultural and diversity competence in the educational and business spheres are investigated. A set of key values and key diversity competencies is presented. Part of the study of social cohesion was the change in the parameters of intercultural and diversity competence in a crisis society. Methodology of the research. The theoretical foundations of diversity management are based on a comparative analysis of recent publications on this issue and the results of modern social practice of organizations in the field of diversity management. The methodological and practical foundations of the above research are based on the previous intercultural and social cohesion studies at the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University (now Ukrainian State Dragomanov University). The Social Cohesion Radar Model has been adopted for practical research in the educational community. This made it possible to present some indicators of social cohesion – "acceptance of diversity" and "trust" as key factors for successful communication, social relations, and, consequently, community development. This model provides an understanding of "acceptance of diversity" and "trust" as key components of social cohesion and monitoring their status in different situations of social challenges, including the challenges of the war in Ukraine and the pandemic. A working analogy of the Diversity Radar model for monitoring and assessing diversity intelligence in a community is presented. Practical significance of the research. The study identified the level of acceptance of multicultural diversity in the community and outlined weaknesses for further strengthening with appropriate social and educational tools. The article collects and analyzes various diversity competencies and practical steps to develop diverse and sustainable communities, especially educational ones.

Social Isolation and Suicidal Ideation of Older People: The Buffering Effects of Neighborhood Social Cohesion

This study aimed to examine the buffering effect of neighborhood social cohesion on the association of social isolation and suicidal ideation among Korean older people. The sample was older adults who were 65 years old or older and participated in the Korea Health Survey 2017 collected by the Center for Disease and Prevention (N=67,835). Social isolation was measured with three indicators: living-alone, contact isolation (less than weekly contact with family, friends, or neighbors), and participation isolation (less than monthly social organization attendance). Neighborhood social cohesion was measured with two indicators: trust in neighbors and the welfare budget ratio to represent social capital and social inclusion capabilities, respectively. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the dynamic relationships between social isolation, neighborhood social cohesion, and suicidal ideation. Results of the main effect indicated that social isolation is a significant risk factor for suicidal ideation and neighborhood social cohesion works as a protective factor against suicidal ideation. Results of cross-level interactions showed that the welfare budget ratio moderated the association between participation isolation and suicidal ideation (OR=0.960, p<.001). The negative effect of participation isolation was reduced as the welfare budget ratio of the neighborhood increased. Neighborhood social cohesion indicators did not moderate the association between the remaining types of social isolation and suicidal ideation. The evidence from this study highlights the importance of social welfare expenditures when building suicide prevention interventions and age-friendly communities.

Social Trust and Anti-immigrant Attitudes in Europe: A Longitudinal Multi-Level Analysis.

Research investigating how social conditions influence attitudes about immigrants has focused primarily on demographic and economic factors as potential threat inducing contexts that lead to anti-immigrant sentiment. However, the empirical evidence supporting this link is mixed, while social cohesion indicators such as the influence of social trust, have largely been left unexamined. This article uses the European Social Survey (2002–2016) to test how differences in social trust, both within and between countries influence attitudes about immigrants. Results from longitudinal analyses show that countries with higher levels of social trust have more favorable attitudes toward immigrants, and while changes in social trust over time are small, they result in comparably large changes in anti-immigrant attitudes, even when controlling for other social factors. These results are robust across different model specifications and data sources.

Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Inequalities in COVID-19 Diagnosis Rates by Area-Level Black/African American Racial Composition.

Geographic inequalities in COVID-19 diagnosis are now well documented. However, we do not sufficiently know whether inequalities are related to social characteristics of communities, such as collective engagement. We tested whether neighborhood social cohesion is associated with inequalities in COVID-19 diagnosis rate and the extent the association varies across neighborhood racial composition. We calculated COVID-19 diagnosis rates in Philadelphia, PA, per 10,000 general population across 46 ZIP codes, as of April 2020. Social cohesion measures were from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, 2018. We estimated Poisson regressions to quantify associations between social cohesion and COVID-19 diagnosis rate, testing a multiplicative interaction with Black racial composition in the neighborhood, which we operationalize via a binary indicator of ZIP codes above vs. below the city-wide average (41%) Black population. Two social cohesion indicators were significantly associated with COVID-19 diagnosis. Associations varied across Black neighborhood racial composition (p <0.05 for the interaction test). In ZIP codes with ≥41% of Black people, higher collective engagement was associated with an 18% higher COVID-19 diagnosis rate (IRR=1.18, 95%CI=1.11, 1.26). In contrast, areas with <41% of Black people, higher engagement was associated with a 26% lower diagnosis rate (IRR=0.74, 95%CI=0.67, 0.82). Neighborhood social cohesion is associated with both higher and lower COVID-19 diagnosis rates, and the extent of associations varies across Black neighborhood racial composition. We recommend some strategies for reducing inequalities based on the segmentation model within the social cohesion and public health intervention framework.

Structural determinants of suicide during the global financial crisis in Spain: Integrating explanations to understand a complex public health problem.

IntroductionSuicide is a complex public health problem in contemporary societies. Macroeconomic downturns derived from the economic crisis have been found to be associated with growing suicide mortality in the United States and in Europe. The present work is aimed to assess the association between the recent economic downturns and suicide patterns using interrupted time series analysis and, particularly, adjusting this relationship by indicators of social cohesion and community values that might provide additional insights on the complex explanation of suicidal trends.MethodsWe combined suicide, social and economic data extracted from the National Statistics Institute (INE), the Eurostat database, and the World Values Survey to assess the association between the socio-economic factors and trends in suicide rates. To study the association between the financial crisis and changes in suicide rates in Spain, we used interrupted time series analysis (ITSA).ResultsOur findings confirm that suicides increased after the 2011 recession, but remained moderately constant after the 2008 economic downturn. Suicides particularly increased after the 2011 recession in the 10–14, and 45–64 years old intervals between males and females, and apparently in older groups. However, during the 2008–2011 time period suicide rates decreased during working years (specifically among 40–44, 45–49, and 55–59 years old groups). Our results highlight the importance of social protection against unemployment and, to a lesser extent, social protection in disability and family, in reducing suicides, as well as the economic prosperity of the country.ConclusionThis result corroborates that the economic crisis has possibly impacted the growing suicide rates of the most vulnerable groups, but exclusively during the period characterised by economic cuts after the 2011 recession. This study highlights the need to implement tailored policies that protect these collectives against suicide.

Social Exclusion and Convergence in the EU: An Assessment of the Europe 2020 Strategy

Economic convergence has long been a declared objective of the EU and considered the fundamental mechanism for achieving socioeconomic cohesion. The recent economic crisis had an uneven impact across EU countries and brought a halt to the process of economic and social convergence. In response to this situation, the Europe 2020 strategy, launched in 2010, aimed to deliver social and territorial cohesion in the Member States. In this paper we evaluate the poverty and social exclusion pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy by analysing whether it has promoted convergence across the EU countries in the indicators devised to capture risk of poverty, severe material deprivation, and the number of persons living in households with very low work intensity. Our results for all three rates indicate that convergence occurs in heterogeneous clubs that do not follow a geographic east‒west or south‒north pattern. Convergence within each club, especially for the severe deprivation rate, takes place by means of a catching-up process, with Eastern European levels converging on the Western levels. Finally, not only is there club convergence, but there is no tendency for the clubs to convergence. Poverty and social cohesion indicators show a multi-speed Europe, casting doubt on the sustainability of the overall convergence process in the EU.

Does normative multiculturalism foster or threaten social cohesion?

The study advances a tri-dimensional model of multiculturalism that highlights the importance of perceived societal norms, i.e., the extent to which one’s society is perceived as characterized by culturally diverse groups in contact with one another (Multicultural Contact, MC), a widespread appreciation of cultural diversity (Multicultural Ideology, MI), and multicultural policies and practices (MPP) to support and accommodate that diversity. A community sample of 143 Hispanics and 141 non-Hispanic Whites in the United States completed an online survey that examined perceptions of normative MC, MI and MPP as predictors of trust and national attachment, key indicators of social cohesion. The results indicated that MI, MC and MPP predict greater national attachment and that MI predicts greater trust; however, the positive effects of MI are limited to Hispanics and not found for Whites. The findings point to the conclusion that normative multiculturalism is more likely to foster than to threaten social cohesion.

Overcoming the contradictions of the tax system and pension contributions

The purpose of this article is to present the basic problems arising when constructing the pension system in Poland. The pretext to take up the subject was the proposal to withdraw from the limit on social security contributions. Using theoretical arguments, literature review and analysis of basic data on the current state of public finances, the authors indicate the effects of manipulation in the principles of the functioning of the pension. While in the short term giving up the limit of paid contributions improves the balance of public finances and reduces income inequalities, in the long run it leads to additional tensions in public finances and worsens social cohesion indicators.

Social Cohesion of German Society at the Beginning of the 21th Century: from Unification to Unity

The unification of Germany in 1990 set the task of achieving social cohesion of new and old lands. The article presents an analysis of the reports on German unity and the coalition agreements of political parties on the consolidation process. The indicators of social cohesion, as well as the impact on it of the remaining regional disparities, are considered. Particular attention is paid to the results of the study of the Bertelsman Foundation, which analyzes the cohesion of society as a combination of elements: participation, trust, acceptance of diversity, a sense of belonging, etc. The results of the study demonstrate that the unity of German society is gradually increasing.

Romi u Srbiji - izazov društvene kohezije

The paper discusses the level of social inclusion of Romani people in Serbia as a critical indicator of social cohesion. Historical and current statistical data show that Romani people in Serbia, as well as in other European countries, have centuries long experience of marginalization and discrimination. Since the 1970s, the political and institutional conditions for their cultural, political and social affirmation have been gradually constructed. With the growth of their visibility and homogeneousity, it became even more important to include Romani people in society and economy and thus to achieve higher level of social cohesion. Since 2000, many results have been achieved in the social inclusion of Romani people in Serbia in key areas (education, employment, economic empowerment, housing, anti-discrimination), but the state of affairs is still far from desirable. The main problem lies in political culture-stereotypes and prejudices about Romani people and marginalization and occasional discrimination based on them. Such political culture hampers the strengthening of social cohesion in Serbia.

Neighbourhood social conduits and resident social cohesion

Given the importance of the neighbourhood context for residents’ social cohesion, the current study examines the association between types of social and non-social places on three indicators of social cohesion: neighbour networks, social cohesion and neighbourhood attachment. We spatially integrate data from the census, topographic databases and a 2012 survey of 4132 residents from 148 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia, and employ multilevel models to assess whether the variation in resident reports of social cohesion is attributable to land uses that function as neighbourhood social conduits. We also consider the degree to which neighbourhood fragmentation affects our indicators of social cohesion. Our findings reveal that even after controlling for the socio-demographic context of the neighbourhood and a range of individual and household control variables, residents’ reports of social cohesion are significantly associated with the types of social conduits, the diversity of land use and the degree of neighbourhood fragmentation.

Moralized Health-Related Persuasion Undermines Social Cohesion.

Integrating theory and research on persuasion, moralization, and intergroup relations, the present research aims to highlight the far-reaching impact of health-related persuasion on society. I propose that governments’ health-related persuasion leads to the emergence of new social norms, and in particular moral norms. Importantly, moral norms provide strong behavioral imperatives and are seen as binding for group members. This suggests that moralized persuasion has a strong potential to divide society along the lines of citizens who conform to and citizens who deviate from health-related moral norms. Thus, departing from the traditional focus on targets of persuasion, the present research focuses on those holding a moralized view on health and lifestyle. Key aspects of social cohesion as defined by the OECD (2011) have been tested across four studies. The main hypothesis tested is that those conforming to the norm (e.g., non-smokers, normal weight people, people with healthy lifestyles) will stigmatize those deviating from the norm (e.g., smokers, overweight people, people with unhealthy lifestyles). Flowing from stigmatization, less inclusion, lower solidarity with and greater endorsement of unequal treatment of those deviating from the moral norm are predicted. Four survey studies (total N = 1568) examining the proposed associations among non-smokers, normal weight people, and employees with healthy lifestyles are presented. The studies provide unanimous support for the hypothesis, with meta-analysis providing further support for the reliability of the findings. Consistent across studies, social cohesion indicators were negatively affected by health moralization through stigmatization of those deviating from health-related moral norms. Findings highlight an under-acknowledged potential of moralized health-related persuasion to divide society, thereby undermining cohesion and the achievement of important societal goals. In the discussion, limitations and relevant routes for future research are highlighted. Recommendations are derived for policy makers, institutions, employers, and individuals.

Women on Boards and Financial Performance: Evidence from a European Emerging Market

This paper examines the association between gender diversity on corporate boards and firm performance for a European emerging market, which lags behind in terms of both corporate governance quality and social cohesion indicators. In a sample of Romanian companies listed on BSE (Bucharest Stock Exchange) during 2012&ndash;2016, this study confirms previous concerns related to the endogeneity of gender diversity variables in firm performance regression analysis and shows that, on average, diversity has no significant impact on firm-performance. However, based on a sub-sample analysis, results show a robust association in the case of profit-firms and those listed on the Standard tier. As losses can be construed as a distortion factor and Standard tier companies are the smallest and less well governed on the market, the results could be taken to suggest that Romanian listed companies do benefit from increasing gender diversity in the boardrooms, which could complement their rather poor corporate governance practices. Overall, the paper concludes that, in the context of an emerging market, policies aimed at increasing gender diversity in the boards appear to be financially viable and even beneficial for the major part of listed companies, balancing successfully the social cohesion and economic components of sustainable development.

European Union Social Cohesion Policy and Monitoring Indicators

The questions of the nation uniting, national or social consolidation, cohesion of society have always been on the agenda of the independent Ukrainian state. An urgent need is to identify the obstacles to consolidating Ukrainian society, as well as factors that can contribute to the unification of society. The objective of the article is to summarize the results of scientific and expert discourse on social cohesion of the EU and indicators of its assessment. Methodology is analysis of the European Commission documents, studies and reports. The research of European Cohesion Policy requires the use of an interdisciplinary approach, as well as the consideration of the process in its integrity, requires the use of a systematic approach.&#x0D; Social cohesion has been studied in the European Union over the past decades. During this time, many studies of theoretical and empirical question have been made. Moreover, it has already become the main concept of effective development for many societies. The mechanism of practical realization of social cohesion is the recognition of the values of pluralism, social and civil dialogue. The obligatory attribute of social cohesion of a society is the institute of social protection and social integration. Social cohesion involves the use of democratic principles for making socially significant decisions. The essence of the social cohesion of the EU is considered from the standpoint, based on social rights and the access of all citizens to their rights, and hence the real opportunity to use and protect them. At the focus of social cohesion of society is the welfare of the vast majority of citizens, harmonious and stable social relations. The condition to social cohesion is the high citizen’s credibility of governance and civil society institutions. In the framework of developing a system of social indicators an effort was made to operationalise conceptualization of social cohesion across several life domains. There are rather broad range of indicators of social cohesion can be specified. Accordingly, the lists of exemplarily suggested indicators are rather extensive. &#x0D; The subject of further analysis may be a more detailed researches of the experience of the European society cohesion mechanism for adopting and implementation it in Ukraine.

Are diverse societies less cohesive? Testing contact and mediated contact theories.

Previous research has demonstrated that there is a negative relationship between ethnic diversity in a local community and social cohesion. Often the way social cohesion is assessed, though, varies across studies and only some aspects of the construct are included (e.g., trust). The current research explores the relationship between diversity and social cohesion across a number of indicators of social cohesion including neighbourhood social capital, safety, belonging, generalized trust, and volunteering. Furthermore, social psychological theories concerning the role of positive contact and its impact on feelings of threat are investigated. Using a sample of 1070 third generation ‘majority’ Australians and structural equation modelling (SEM), findings suggest ethnic diversity is related to positive intergroup contact, and that contact showed beneficial impacts for some indicators of social cohesion both directly and indirectly through reducing perceived threat. When interethnic contact and perceived threat are included in the model there is no direct negative effect between diversity and social cohesion. The theoretical implications of these findings are outlined including the importance of facilitating opportunities for positive contact in diverse communities.

Truly reconciled? A dyadic analysis of post-conflict social reintegration in Northern Uganda

In the aftermath of civil war or violent internal conflict, one of the key peacebuilding challenges is the reconciliation of former enemies who are members of the same small-scale societies. A failure of social reintegration may contribute to what is known as a conflict trap. To detect lingering hostile attitudes among a community’s various factions is crucial, but the approaches adopted in previous studies tend to focus on the impact of conflict on one or other aggregated indicator of social cohesion rather than on how violence-affected individuals regard and act towards their fellow community members. Here we demonstrate the value of concentrating on this latter dyadic component of social interactions and we use behavioural experiments and a social tie survey to assess, in an appropriately disaggregated manner, social cohesion in a post-conflict setting in northern Uganda. Whereas in self-reported surveys, ex-combatants appear to be well-connected, active members of their communities, the experiments unveil the continued reluctance of other community members to share or cooperate with them; fewer resources are committed to ex-combatants than to others, which is statistically significant. The dyadic nature of our analysis allows us to detect which groups are more prone to discriminate against ex-combatants, which may help facilitate targeted interventions.