Levels Of Social Cohesion Research Articles

Interrelations of Social, Physical and Symbolic Space – Assessing Residents’ Spatial Perceptions of Gentrifying Neighbourhoods with Multiple Factor Analysis

ABSTRACT Adopting a Bourdieusian perspective on the trialectic relationship between symbolic, social, and physical space, we assess how perceptions, evaluations, and expectations towards one’s surroundings interrelate and are associated with social status and physical location. We analyse survey data from two German neighbourhoods undergoing gentrification, arguing that in this process, residents of different class backgrounds and with different expectations towards their residential area live side-by-side. To reconstruct residents’ symbolic space of spatial perceptions, we apply multiple factor analysis (MFA) to several sets of variables on neighbourhood perception, and relate these to residents’ location in physical space (different neighbourhoods) and social space (socio-demographics). We find that differences between neighbourhoods in levels of social cohesion and disorder are the most important dimension in symbolic space, emphasizing the crucial role of social bonds in residents’ perception of their surroundings. Expectations towards neighbourhood change, the second dimension, are strongly influenced by socio-demographic characteristics.

Higher education as a public good and social cohesion: an exploratory study from a European comparative perspective

ABSTRACT In the context of higher education’s growing significance and the persistence of inequalities in it, the article aims to further develop the understanding of higher education as a public good and to explore its association with social cohesion in a European comparative perspective. It shifts the focus from the content of higher education as a driver of its social contributions towards the role of higher education realisation in a given society as determining its social effects. Two new methodological instruments are developed: an index of higher education as a public good and an index of social cohesion. The analysis draws on data from Eurostat, the EUROSTUDENT Survey VII, and the European Social Survey, Round 10. The results indicate substantial cross-country differences in social cohesion and in the realisation of higher education as a public good. The article identifies a positive association between the realisation of higher education as a public good in a given country and the level of social cohesion there. From the four dimensions of higher education as a public good related to access, participation, completion, and the state’s commitment to its development, the strongest relationship is between the state’s commitment to its development and social cohesion.

The creative city’s swan song? The individualisation of the music scene in Bologna, UNESCO City of Music

This paper extends the debate on medium-sized cities as active designers of place-specific neoliberal identities by reporting relevant findings from Bologna, European Capital of Culture in 2000 and a UNESCO City of Music since 2006. The study identifies the formal relationships of collaboration among local musicians as a relevant proxy to discuss the individualisation of the pop-rock music scene and its variations between 1978 and 2019. For this purpose, formal Social Network Analysis is combined with semi-structured interview analysis and archival research. The findings reveal decreased levels of social cohesion among artists and establishes a link between growing individualisation in the local music scene and an increasing tourist-orientation in the city.

The Influence of Religious Beliefs and Religious Practices on Social Cohesion in Modern Society in Indonesia

This research investigates the influence of religious beliefs and practices on social cohesion in modern Indonesian societies through a quantitative analysis. A sample of 175 respondents representing diverse religious communities participated in the study. The survey instrument utilized Likert scales to measure religious beliefs, practices, and various dimensions of social cohesion. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was employed to analyze the data. The results revealed significant positive relationships between religious beliefs, practices, and social cohesion. Specifically, stronger religious beliefs were associated with higher levels of social cohesion, while active engagement in religious practices contributed to increased social cohesion. The findings highlight the integral role of religion in fostering community resilience and well-being. These insights have implications for policymakers, community leaders, and scholars seeking to promote social cohesion and interfaith harmony in diverse societies.

Neighbourhood characteristics, leisure-time walking, and mental health in older veterans

ABSTRACT This study examined the extent to which neighbourhood cohesion and safety are related to leisure-time walking, mental health, and the health-related perceptions of older veterans. Using data from the 2016 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), we focused on 1,501 respondents who reported they were veterans 65 years of age and older. Results of a path analysis indicated that older veterans living in neighbourhoods characterized by high social cohesion and safety tended to report better mental health and more positive health perception compared to those residing in neighbourhoods with lower levels of social cohesion and safety. In addition, older veterans with higher levels of leisure-time walking were more likely to report better mental health and health perception compared to those who engaged in lower levels of leisure-time walking. These results add to the existing body of knowledge that describes how safe and socially cohesive neighbourhoods and leisure time physical activity play an important role in shaping mental health and health perception in older veterans. Practical implications for promoting health-related behaviours and health in the older veteran population are discussed.

Enhancing social cohesion with cooperative bots in societies of greedy, mobile individuals.

Addressing collective issues in social development requires a high level of social cohesion, characterized by cooperation and close social connections. However, social cohesion is challenged by selfish, greedy individuals. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), the dynamics of human-machine hybrid interactions introduce new complexities in fostering social cohesion. This study explores the impact of simple bots on social cohesion from the perspective of human-machine hybrid populations within network. By investigating collective self-organizing movement during migration, results indicate that cooperative bots can promote cooperation, facilitate individual aggregation, and thereby enhance social cohesion. The random exploration movement of bots can break the frozen state of greedy population, help to separate defectors in cooperative clusters, and promote the establishment of cooperative clusters. However, the presence of defective bots can weaken social cohesion, underscoring the importance of carefully designing bot behavior. Our research reveals the potential of bots in guiding social self-organization and provides insights for enhancing social cohesion in the era of human-machine interaction within social networks.

Social Cohesion, Economic Security, and Forced displacement in the Long-run: Evidence From Rural Colombia

Millions of people around the world are internally displaced. And yet – compared to other forms of wartime victimization – scholars know relatively little about the long-run consequences of displacement for victims. This gap in the literature is problematic since displacement is distinct from other forms of victimization, and because IDPs face unique challenges in post-conflict transitions. This study contributes to the literature on the effects of displacement in three ways. First, the study brings to bear a unique sample of households in Colombia that is largely homogeneous along key confounders – mostly poor, rural, and conflict-afflicted – yet varies in their exposure to displacement. Next, the study draws on a rich set of covariates and outcomes to provide plausible estimates on the long-run effects of internal displacement. The study finds that a decade or more after displacement, victims experience substantial negative welfare deficits yet exhibit higher levels of social cohesion than their counterparts. Finally, combining a prediction framework with key stakeholder interviews, the study explores variation in outcomes among victims, particularly why some can return home and seek reparations while others are not. The results reveal a wide assortment of consequences resulting from displacement and should help inform policy-making bearing on support for internally displaced people.

How heritage promotes social cohesion: An urban survey from Nara city, Japan

Research on sustainable development and urban heritage currently focuses more on the economic realm rather than the social dimension. Social cohesion plays an important role in achieving sustainability goals. Although it has been argued that urban heritage contributes to social cohesion, this has not been adequately tested from an empirical perspective. Therefore, this study aims to using a hierarchical linear model investigate the total number and different types of heritages across 32 communities in Nara City, Japan, and the awareness and utilization of urban heritage of 1502 residents in the target communities, to analyzes the relationship with their social cohesion. The findings indicate that social cohesion is related to residents' heritage awareness and utilization patterns. Higher heritage awareness, more frequent visits and longer stays at heritage sites correspond to a higher level of social cohesion. The number of community heritage is also positively related because its presence provides communities with a better living environment and more places to interact and learn about the local culture. However, different types of urban heritage do not have the same relationship with social cohesion. Our research emphasizes that urban heritage should be used wisely to stimulate its role as a driver of sustainable social development.

Social Adaptation of University Students Migrating from Rural to Urban Areas

This research focuses on examining the social adaptation of university students migrating from rural to urban areas in Kyrgyzstan. The reason for this is the rapid increase in rural-urban migration in Kyrgyzstan in recent years and this increase has caused some social adaptation problems in the cities. The sample group consisted of 220 university students determined by simple random technique. In the study, a questionnaire developed by the researcher was used to determine the social cohesion levels of university students. As a result, it was determined that the social adjustment levels of university students who migrated from rural to urban areas were at a medium level. It was determined that the social adaptation levels of the students did not differ significantly according to the variables of gender, family marital status, employment status and language of education. Among the independent variables, a significant difference was determined in the variable of whether the students experienced a negative event in a social field. It was observed that the social adjustment levels of students who experienced a negative situation in a social field were lower than those who did not.

Strengthening rural community water safety planning in Pacific Island countries: evidence and lessons from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji.

Pacific Island Countries (PICs) collectively have the lowest rates of access to safely managed or basic drinking water and sanitation globally. They are also the least urbanised, have dynamic socioeconomic and increasing climate-linked challenges. Community-based water managers need to respond to variability in water availability and quality caused by a range of hazards. Water Safety Planning (WSP), a widely adopted approach to assessing water supply, offers a risk-based approach to mitigating both existing and future hazards. WSP is adaptable, and making modifications to prescribed WSP to adapt it to the local context is common practice. Within the Pacific Community Water Management Plus research project, we used formative research and co-development processes to understand existing local modifications, whether further modifications are required, and, to develop additional modifications to WSP in Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. The types of additional local modifications we recommend reflect the unique context of PICs, including adjusting for community management of water supplies and required collective action, community governance systems, levels of social cohesion in communities, and preferred adult-learning pedagogies. Incorporating modifications that address these factors into future WSP will improve the likelihood of sustained and safe community water services in Pacific and similar contexts.

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.

Вклад оправдания системы в социальную сплоченность

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>Analysis of the contribution of the system justification to social cohesion. <br><strong>Background. </strong>Social cohesion in Russia, as well as around the world, is declining, despite its beneficial impact on the society. In accordance with the System Justification theory, there is reason to assume a connection between the system justification and social cohesion, but no empirical verification has been carried out. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>The study examined the relationship between the system justification and different levels of social cohesion. The study used the system justification scale and measurements of variables of interpersonal trust, density of social relationships, openness, social participation, institutional trust and legitimacy of institutions. The presence and nature of the relationship was verified through correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). <br><strong>Participants. </strong>819 Russians (52% of women) from 18 to 83 years old (<em>M</em> = 37,7; <em>SD</em> = 10,7). <br><strong>Measurements. </strong>Russian-language versions of the scales of system justification by J. Jost. G. Bottoni's model of social cohesion. <br><strong>Results. </strong>The model of social cohesion was successfully tested on a Russian sample, but macro-level variables cannot be separated and do not allow the formation of the second factor of the model by type of measurement (objective and subjective). System justification significantly predicts all levels of social cohesion. The regression model showed that the more people tend to justify the system, the more they trust others, get involved in various group interactions and positively evaluate the institutional activities. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The system justification significantly positively predicts social cohesion at the micro, meso and macro levels.</p>

COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence, Hesit Ancy And Refusal Among Hh Heads Of Municipality Of Pontevedra, Capiz

This study primarily investigated the level of COVID-19 vaccine confidence, hesitancy and refusal among household heads of the municipality of Pontevedra during COVID-19 pandemic. A random sample of 372 household heads in a total of 12,071 households (PHO, 2021) in the municipality served as respondents of the study. A validated and pilot-tested researcher-made questionnaire was used as research instrument distributed using both online platform (Google Forms) and in printed questionnaire. Findings indicate that household heads in the municipality of Pontevedra are mostly females, in their mid-forties, married, Roman Catholic, College graduate, headed a household of five with a family member of less than 5 years old and a senior citizen, unemployed, with family monthly income below the poverty line, no medical insurance and stayed in the place for a quarter of a century. Majority of the HH heads have not been tested for COVID-19, has not been diagnosed by health care professionals based on symptoms only, had no in-person contact with anyone infected with COVID-19; and majority of them have no comorbidities or pre-existing health conditions. Moreover, HH heads are aware that they are quite unlikely to get COVID-19 and very closely complied about guidelines for COVID-19. Most of the HH heads in Pontevedra are COVID-19 Vaccine Confident, have a high level of social cohesion and trust during COVID-19, somewhat satisfied with the COVID-19 Control, and somewhat agree to receive COVID-19 Vaccination. There are significant differences on the mean vaccine confidence scores when HH heads are classified according to their age, highest educational attainment, employment status, and family monthly income. COVID-19 Vaccination response of HH Heads was significanly related with their profile variables (highest educational attainment, employment status, and estimated monthly income), their COVID-19-related profile, their extent of COVID-19 impact, their level of social cohesion and trust, and their level of satisfaction with the COVID-19 control.

Some aspects of the diagnosis of the social capital of the region in conditions of socio-economic instability

The paper discusses theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of the diagnosis of social capital. The analysis of existing approaches to the study of social capital is carried out. The relevance of the consideration of social capital from the perspective of taking into account socio-cultural changes taking place in society is substantiated. A methodological tool for assessing social capital is proposed, characterized by the integrative nature of the use of statistical and sociological indicators. The list of the main diagnostic indicators of the social capital of the region is systematized and presented. Based on the analysis of the results of sociological research, an approximately equal level of closed and open social capital in the Republic of Bashkortostan was revealed, as well as a relatively low level of institutional trust. The necessity of strengthening social cohesion on the basis of increasing trust in interpersonal, intergroup relations, as well as in relations between society and state institutions is proved. The results of a sociological study conducted in 2021 were used as the methodological basis of the study. Institute of the History of Language and Literature of the UFIC RAS and the sociological survey of scientists of the Ufa Research Center of the RAS (Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan) (2023) conducted with the direct participation of the author. The novelty lies in the fact that the methodological tools for assessing social capital are proposed, characterized by the integrative nature of the use of statistical and sociological indicators, which allows for the diagnosis of social capital at 3 levels: institutional, corporate and individual levels. The use of such tools will allow measuring the effects of social capital on socio-economic development, as well as identifying communities with high and low levels of social capital, identifying social groups that are in a vulnerable position with respect to social capital. Obtaining such data contributes to the development of systematic and targeted measures aimed at increasing the level of social capital and increasing the efficiency of its use. The low level of institutional trust is revealed, the need to increase the level of social cohesion as a basis for strengthening the relationship between society and state institutions is substantiated.

MAIN TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN MEDICAL EDUCATION

Under modern conditions, the world is developing globally. Analyzing the main directions, it is worth noting that in the economy, this notion is expressed by the transition of most peoples and cultures to market relations; in politics – to democracy; in the system of social communications – to tolerance; in the field of the general organization of the life process – to the model of an open society and sustainable human development. Education and science are no exception. They prepare people for independent living and form their perspective on the civilizational future of humanity.
 This article examines the main trends of modern education, in particular, medical education, which include priority development in the strategy of newest state-building; ensuring its quality; anthropocentrism, development and equal access to quality education as an open holistic system, its informatization; modernization of content and educational technologies; innovative development of education as a response to the challenges of innovative progress; organic connection with science and culture; complementation of diverse knowledge modern education system; formation of scientific and inclusive education; its practical orientation.
 The countries that have succeeded are those where education has been established as a priority area of life.
 A relevant area of the world-class education level is its functioning and development as a democratic system.
 The next area is the social role of education in social cohesion development. In this case, working with internally displaced persons and students is a particular challenge. The difficulty in the political and socio-economic situation in Ukraine requires an immediate solution to this problem to unite our society as quickly and effectively as possible, namely through the development of educational communities.
 Social cohesion is complex but important to study. Therefore, it is necessary to understand its elements: mutual assistance, trust, otherness acceptance, justice perception, and civic engagement.
 The level of social cohesion in Ukrainian society is low and, according to some reports, tends to decline. This decline is a consequence of growing social inequality, low levels of public trust in government and other institutions, massive social disintegration, and depreciation of social solidarity and work values. The interests in increasing social cohesion require the implementation of a set of scientific, practical, and institutional measures. The development of social cohesion in the educational environment is a priority for Ukraine and the EU. It is necessary to overcome obstacles and take certain steps to implement this priority area of social and educational policy.
 Education in any country is a national product developed considering national traditions, lifestyle features, and national character. Therefore, a reasonable combination of traditions and innovations opens the door to the future and ensures the development of a person as a citizen of a country and a human being capable of living in the European and global space. These trends appear as the main guidelines for the improvement of education today.

Syrian Forced Migration and Social Cohesion Process in Türkiye

This article aims to understand the challenges of war-persecuted asylum seekers accommodated in Türkiye. Firstly, the core purpose of the research is to understand the level of social cohesion of Syrian asylum seekers in Turkish society. Secondly, the study investigates ways Syrian culture could be welcomed into Turkish social life. Additionally, it investigates the contributions given by asylum seekers to Turkish society and the major barriers they face when working with the host society. Another major part of the study examines the extent to which the bureaucratic and political institutions of Türkiye support their social cohesion and subsistence. The study consists of a review of the relevant literature concerning Syrian asylum seekers. It is based on the conventions with Syrians living in Türkiye and input from many experts working on the issue. The major findings revolve around the socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic complexities that must be navigated as part of the social cohesion process between the Syrians and the Turkish host society.

NIGERIA: THE STATE OF SOCIAL COHESION. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY

The development of socially diverse societies depends on social cohesiveness. Yet the subject has remained mainly understudied. This article discusses the level of social cohesion in Nigeria and its consequences for policy. Using primary and secondary dat

Multiparty Democracy, Social Cohesion, and Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Conceptual Framework

This paper proposes some assumptions regarding the complex relationship between multiparty democracy, social cohesion, and human development in Sub-Saharan Africa. A conceptual framework was used to map out this relationship. We assumed that because multiparty democracy is relatively new in Africa and increasingly challenging for most countries, its relationship with human development may neither be proximal, nor positive. With respect to social cohesion, we assumed that a socially cohesive society is more likely than a non-cohesive one to promote human development. Further, we assumed that although multiparty democracy is susceptible to exerting a negative or weak effect on human development, the relationship may be mitigated by the level of social cohesion. The immediate implication of this assumption is that multiparty democracy is likely to improve the well-being of the populations of sub-Saharan Africa if the degree of social cohesion is relatively high. The proffered assumptions may be of great interest for practitioners and researchers in human development studies and other relevant fields.

Social cohesion of youth in Ukraine under the conditions of marital state

The article examines the peculiarities of the formation of social cohesion of the population as a whole and in the community of youth of Ukraine in the conditions of martial law in particular. An analysis of scientific works on the research problem was carried out in order to determine the leading components and criteria that determine the level of social cohesion. The results of an empirical study conducted in the form of anonymous representatives of youth of Ukraine are presented. The results of the survey determine the level of social cohesion in a vertical and horizontal section and determine social unity according to separate criteria. The results of the questionnaire are compared with the data of a sociological study on the definition of the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCORE), which was conducted in Ukraine by USAID, UNDP and their partners in 2021. The purpose of the research covered in the article is to analyze the phenomenon of social cohesion of youth in the process of forming the civil society of Ukraine in the conditions of martial law. The main tasks are as follows: to analyze the leading scientific works on the research problem and to justify the general conceptual provisions regarding the understanding of social cohesion as a necessary condition for the existence of society; determine the socio-psychological features of student youth as a socially active category of citizens; to investigate the peculiarities of formation and regulation of social cohesion as a leading factor of social self-organization and development of society. Achieving the set goal and solving research tasks was carried out using theoretical, empirical and statistical methods of data processing. The conclusions confirm that social cohesion is an important condition and indicator of a qualitative change in the structure of society, which is determined by the activity of social subjects in order to achieve a common socially significant goal. The novelty of the study consists in determining the actual problems of the process of forming the social cohesion of youth in the conditions of war by determining the actual level of cohesion in general and according to individual criteria.

The 'Bad Behavior Index': A Composite Measure of the Development Hindering Behavior of Individuals and Institutions

Composite indices have become a popular tool for providing a quantitative, simplified, and visualized representation of complex phenomena. An example of such is the Human Development Index (HDI) which ranks countries by their level of development. The primary limitation of the HDI is its narrow scope, which hinders its effectiveness at explaining why some nations are more developed than others. The discussion as to why some nations are more developed than others goes back as far as the 14th century, where Ibn Khaldun developed a theory which aims to explain why civilizations rise and fall. Some of the hypotheses which seek to answer this question point to the importance of economic freedoms, absence of corruption, high investment in human capital, and the importance of institutions etc. to development. One hypothesis which has not been properly studied regards the culpability of individual and institutional behavior. The purpose of this study is to introduce a composite measure of the development hindering behavior of individuals and institutions, i.e., the Bad Behavior Index (BBI). The methodology of this study is influenced by the Mazziotta & Pareto framework for composite indices. The index weights have been computed by integrating expert opinion with the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP). The findings of this study suggest that African countries engage in the highest level of bad behavior, which subsequently leads to their poor socio-economic development, whereas Northern countries engage in the least level of bad behavior. The study also finds that the most important drivers for socio-economic development are low levels of corruption, high levels of knowledge creation, strict application of the rule of law, high levels of social cohesion, and high levels of political stability.