'Divided or united': Strengthening Social Cohesion for Well-being and Prosperity - Volume II

This Research Topic is the second volume of Research Topic "‘Divided or united’: Strengthening Social Cohesion for Well-being and Prosperity." Please, see the first volume here.Social cohesion builds resilience in the community so that any future crises or shocks—whether they are natural disasters, unemployment, radicalisation, or increased tensions within communities—will be mitigated. It is clear that with respect to the prevention, response and recovery during times of crisis, having cohesive and resilient communities is critical. Social cohesion is a priority and not separate or independent from efforts related to democratic legitimacy, polarization, extremism and security, hazard preparedness and recovery or efforts related to community and individual resilience. Importantly social cohesion bolsters a group of people’s (e.g., neighborhood, nation) ability to take collective action to address needs and problems. When there is a lack of social cohesion, there is also a higher cost of security, business and health. Social cohesion is also important for individuals; it is associated with less loneliness, better health and mental health and happiness. Despite its importance, evidence from many countries indicates that this important ‘social glue’ is fragile and at risk, requiring consistent investments to maintain and strengthen it. This special issue is focused on a crucial question: how can we build, preserve, and strengthen cohesion within societies to effectively manage present and future challenges?Although various theories (including, but not limited to, intergroup contact theory, social identity theory, and self-categorization theory) have the potential to open new horizons to strengthen cohesion at the macro (e.g., nations, societies), meso (e.g., communities, neighborhoods), and micro level (e.g., sport teams), what is still lacking is an understanding of well-established and effective interventions aimed at strengthening social cohesion. Knowing how to strengthen social cohesion, and doing so, is a key 'buffer' that can protect life and grow prosperity. Collective knowledge and research in this direction is necessary and important to ensure individual and communities thrive, even when facing crises. This is clear when we examine emerging research.This thematic special issue encourages manuscripts investigating social cohesion and in particular programs, policies, interventions, initiatives and drivers that serve to strengthen it or not. There is innovative thinking and pockets of excellence in Government, NGOs, businesses (e.g., through impact investing and social enterprises), and community leadership. We welcome any evidence-based research that empowers communities by giving them voice and a sense of agency. We recognise the need for social cohesion research that examines the bilateral and dialectical relationship between communities and social and political institutions. Therefore, we seek papers that show how changes in social institutions and government policy and behaviours may impact vertical and horizontal social cohesion. The overarching goal of this special issue is to examine how social cohesion can (a) be strengthened through well-designed interventions derived from well-established theories, and (b) contribute to community prosperity and crisis contexts. By tackling these questions, scholars can make a great contribution to the betterment of societies as we all inevitably grapple with turmoil. Social cohesion may include but is not limited to:- Quality of social relations;- Quantity of social relations;- Horizontal trust (the extent to which citizens trust one another);- Vertical trust (the extent to which citizen trust social and political institutions);- Intergroup trust;- Sense of belonging;- Social solidarity;- Engagement in the betterment of the group;We draw authors’ attention to a common confusion in social cohesion literature concerning overlapping constructs such as social cohesion, trust, diversity and inclusion, integration, solidarity, group cohesion and social capital. We take a broad view and welcome papers that draw on any of this terminology as long as they have a clear definition and explanation for the term being used. Different terminology reflects the inter-disciplinary interest in this topic which we want to ensure is represented in this special issue. We welcome submissions from across the social and behavioural sciences but we will prioritise empirical investigations analysed using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. Articles in the form of original research, reviews, and perspectives related to the above topics will be considered.Dr. Reynolds provided funding from The Australian National University (ANU) to cover the article processing charges for some of the manuscripts submitted to this Research Topic. We hereby state that ANU has had no editorial involvement in articles featured in this collection, ensuring that all aspects of the Research Topic are assessed objectively, free from influence by the specific policies or opinions of ANU. Dr. Reynolds had no editorial involvement in these articles. The other Topic Editors report no conflicts of interest related to this Research Topic. Topic editors: Katherine Jane Reynolds, Diana Cárdenas, Seyed Nima Orazani Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81093/divided-or-united-strengthening-social-cohesion-for-well-being-and-prosperity---volume-ii