Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

10-2024

Abstract

“What gets measured gets managed” has long been a mantra to rally improvement throughout various domains of life. Perhaps this is also the case for existing work on social cohesion, whereby much of its conceptual and operational elements have received interest in both academic and policy research aiming for practical improvement with regard to the cohesiveness of communities and societies. We contend, however, that not everything that matters for social cohesion may be measurable, and not everything that has been measured for social cohesion may matter. This is not to suggest that not measuring any indicators is better than measuring them, but to caution that existing measures of social cohesion, as well-developed as they may currently be, might still be lacking in their ability to accurately assess the state of social cohesion in a given society. This paper sets out to question when and why measurements may fail. It seeks to critique current indicators of social cohesion by recognising what and who are missing from existing measures. To this end, we also call for discussion of alternative approaches to measuring social cohesion for areas where data is restricted or not easily accessible.

Keywords

social cohesion, measurement, indicators, conceptualisation, methodology

Discipline

Human Geography | Nature and Society Relations | Social Psychology and Interaction

Research Areas

Integrative Research Areas

Publication

Social Indicators Research

Volume

175

First Page

109

Last Page

127

ISSN

0303-8300

Identifier

10.1007/s11205-024-03430-8

Publisher

Springer

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-024-03430-8

Download

Share

COinS