Social cohesion in times of crises: understanding cohesive entities in Europe

It seems reasonable that once a crisis or challenge is ongoing, people’s lives will be affected or disrupted in various aspects. European societies, in particular, are currently facing numerous challenges and a rapidly changing environment, which requires a high level of adaptability, a strong democracy, and a committed, cohesive civil society. This dissertation aims to shed light on the role of social cohesion during European crises. It assumes that a cohesive society not only benefits from collective well-being but can also support individuals in coping with challenges and crises. This dissertation aims to contribute to the discourse on social cohesion by continuing the European leg of Bertelsmann’s Social Cohesion Radar (SCR), a concept for assessing and monitoring social cohesion over time and across countries. This takes into account the need for up-to-date, cross-nationally comparable assessments. At the same time, it examines how social cohesion has developed during the current crises and postmodern challenges and provides insights into the changing dynamics within European societies. Additionally, the dissertation will present two examples of cases that highlight the role of social cohesion during significant contemporary issues: the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase of conspiracy beliefs.
First and foremost, the dissertation will contribute to the continuation of a comparable social cohesion monitoring system across countries and examine recent trends in social cohesion in Europe. The continuation of the Social Cohesion Radar (2013 – 2020) provides a comprehensive overview of social cohesion trends, revealing relative stability over the past decade with high levels of civic participation, trust, and acceptance of diversity, particularly in Nordic and Northwestern European countries. It continues the countries’ comparability with their established social cohesion baseline and highlights the importance of consistent measurement in understanding changes over time.
In light of the current state of cohesion in European countries, it is essential to explore and understand how social cohesion can play a role in addressing current crises and postmodern challenges. To answer that research question, the dissertation focuses on two further explanatory perspectives: firstly, whether social cohesion can act as a buffer during the COVID pandemic, using Germany as an example. Based on Bertelsmann data from Baden-Württemberg, the chapter explores how social cohesion interacts with the subjective and objective strain brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that while social cohesion only modestly moderates the relationship between pandemic-induced strain and future optimism, individuals affected by COVID-19 exhibit a resilient, optimistic outlook. This suggests that social cohesion might play a subtle yet vital role in fostering resilience during crises.
Based on data from the Visegrad countries, the dissertation furthermore explores the significance of social cohesion in the context of rising conspiracy beliefs and right-wing political shifts. It finds that strong social cohesion can alleviate feelings of uncertainty and anomia, thereby reducing the propensity for conspiracy mentalities, particularly in countries like Germany, where social cohesion is robust. However, this mitigating effect is less pronounced in countries with weaker social cohesion, like Poland. Taken together, these chapters illustrate the critical role of social cohesion in shaping societal responses to crises and uncertainties, highlighting both its stabilizing influence and the complexities of its impact across different contexts and issues.