Community Cohesion

Community cohesion draws on shared experiences, a common sense of worth and an expressed collective identity, sustained by shared values and beliefs. Here, collective resilience refers to the bonds and networks of relationships, reciprocity, trust, and community norms which hold communities together. These bonds provide support and protection for individuals, and also facilitate the recovery process. These social bonds are frequently referred to as social networks or social capital. As with resilience, the definition of social capital is contested, but it generally means the social networks, norms, trust and resources embedded in a shared social structure, which enable people to cooperate effectively in pursuit of their common interests and shared objectives. Social capital may be bonding, bridging or linking. Bonding social capital refers to relationships among similar people and groups. Bridging social capital describes social networks across place, class, gender, ethnicity and religion. Linking social capital relates to vertical networks of trust across power or authority relationships. Different meanings are attached to social capital depending on one’s ideological positioning.

Lack of civil engagement, community identity and social cohesion have been identified as contributing to people’s ability and willingness to recover from unexpected threats and traumatic events.Community cohesion draws on shared experiences, a common sense of worth and an expressed collective identity, sustained by shared values and beliefs. Here, collective resilience refers to the bonds and networks of relationships, reciprocity, trust, and community norms which hold communities together. These bonds provide support and protection for individuals, and also facilitate the recovery process. These social bonds are frequently referred to as social networks or social capital. As with resilience, the definition of social capital is contested, but it generally means the social networks, norms, trust and resources embedded in a shared social structure, which enable people to cooperate effectively in pursuit of their common interests and shared objectives. Social capital may be bonding, bridging or linking. Bonding social capital refers to relationships among similar people and groups. Bridging social capital describes social networks across place, class, gender, ethnicity and religion. Linking social capital relates to vertical networks of trust across power or authority relationships.

Resilience has been linked to social support, community cohesion, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social capital. At the community level, resilience is linked to the economic and political context and the strength of a community’s social institutions and social networks. At the individual or household level, it is associated with economic, cultural and social resources.

Lack of civil engagement, community identity and social cohesion have been identified as contributing to people’s ability and willingness to recover from unexpected threats and traumatic events.