Building Social Cohesion in the Midst of Conflict: Identifying Challenges, Measuring Progress, and Maximizing Results

Promoting social cohesion is important for ending violent conflict. Social cohesion refers to the interdependence between individuals in a society and includes the rights and agency of individuals, feelings of belonging and trust, and the legitimacy and inclusivity of institutions. It is the “energy” that binds a society together and facilitates interaction between people. Societies with low social cohesion may have high levels of polarization and little trust in leaders, while cohesive societies are more likely to engage with local governments and address problems collectively. However, social cohesion is also influenced by economic, political, and sociocultural factors such as justice, violence, development, and freedom.

There are three approaches to building social cohesion: dialogue, media, and community. Dialogue involves bringing people together to achieve shared goals, while media involves using media platforms to promote understanding and dialogue between groups. Community building involves creating opportunities for people to interact and build relationships.

Questions about social cohesion programming include how programs develop cooperation across dividing lines, build resilience and reduce vulnerability, and promote positive relationships and cooperation. It is also important to consider the potential negative consequences of such programming, such as exacerbating existing divides or reinforcing power imbalances.

Key points:

• Social cohesion is important for ending violent conflict
• It includes the interdependence between individuals in a society, and the rights, agency, belonging, trust, and inclusivity of institutions
• Societies with low social cohesion may have high levels of polarization and little trust in leaders, while cohesive societies are more likely to engage with local governments and address problems collectively
• There are three approaches to building social cohesion: dialogue, media, and community
• Questions about social cohesion programming include how it develops cooperation, builds resilience, promotes positive relationships, and considers potential negative consequences.