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Social Diversity and Social Cohesion in Britain

Author

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  • Tak Wing Chan

    (Social Research institute, University College London)

  • Juta Kawalerowicz

    (Department of Human Geography, Stockholm University)

Abstract

We use data from a large-scale and nationally representative survey to examine whether there is in Britain a trade-off between social diversity and social cohesion. Using six separate measures of social cohesion (generalised trust, volunteering, giving to charity, inter-ethnic friendship, and two neighbourhood cohesion scales) and four measures of social diversity (ethnic fractionalisation, religious fractionalisation, percentage muslim, and percentage foreign-born), we show that, net of individual covariates, there is a negative association between social diversity and most measures of social cohesion. But these associations disappear when neighbourhood deprivation is taken into account. These results are robust to alternative definitions of neighbourhood. We also investigate the possibility that the diversity–cohesion trade-off is found in more segregated neighbourhoods. But we find very little evidence to support that claim.

Suggested Citation

  • Tak Wing Chan & Juta Kawalerowicz, 2022. "Social Diversity and Social Cohesion in Britain," DoQSS Working Papers 22-10, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.
    • Handle: RePEc:qss:dqsswp:2210
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    File URL: http://repec.ioe.ac.uk/REPEc/pdf/qsswp2210.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    6. Birte Gundelach & Richard Traunmüller, 2014. "Beyond Generalised Trust: Norms of Reciprocity as an Alternative Form of Social Capital in an Assimilationist Integration Regime," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 62(3), pages 596-617, October.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

    Social cohesion; social diversity; deprivation;
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