What is Social Cohesion?

    "Social Cohesion" as a concept, is enjoying an ever-increasing popularity. Inspite of this perceived ubiquity in many literatures, the concept of social cohesion is still a hugely ill-defined concept that exact meaning varies from one scholar to another. While some scholars or researchers understand the concept as being synonymous to trust, solidarity and peace; many others tend to be of the view that the concept can incorporate such terms as inclusiveness, poverty and social capital.Sociologists however have associated or aligned the concept to ideas that includes social integration and system integration. In furtherance of the search for a clear definition, sociologists have attempted to simplify the challenges embedded in its definition. They highlighted interest in developing a general theory of social cohesion that is confronted with a complex body of work that involves various definitions of social cohesion and engaged specialized literatures on particular dimensions of social cohesion (e.g., membership turnover, organizational commitment, categorical identifications, interpersonal attachments, network structures) and encourage lines of inquiry that is focused on the specific types of groups (e.g., families, schools, military units and sports teams.

    Social cohesion is a core concept in the discipline of sociology that is only, comparable only to other disciplines of economics and policy-making. The concept of a cohesive society is currently relishing an increasing utitilisaion, especially in documentary of government related institutions, nearly all over the world. Politicians as well as commentators on social issues of different ideologies have established some disparities, or perceived disparities to the definition of the concept of social cohesion that arises from an increase inequality income rising crime rate and joblessness; diminution of the traditional family system; an increase in migration around the globe; a rapid increase in the challenges of the politics of identity and a rising culture of individualism as against communalism and growth in the issue self-aggrandizement by races and Nations of the world.

(Ref.:Itumeleng Mekoa and Dauda Busari (June 2018).Social Cohesion: Its Meaning and Complexities. Journal of social sciences,107-108.)