Social Cohesion as a Real-life Phenomenon: Assessing the Explanatory Power of the Universalist and Particularist Perspectives |
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Authors: | Jan Germen Janmaat |
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Institution: | (1) Institute of Education, University of London, London, UK |
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Abstract: | Unlike most studies on social cohesion, this study explores the concept as a real-life macro-level phenomenon. It assesses
to what extent the conceptions of social cohesion suggested by several macro-level approaches represent coherent empirically
observable forms of social cohesion. Additionally it discusses two perspectives on social cohesion—the universalist and the
particularist perspective. The former would expect social cohesion to be related to stages of socio-economic development.
The latter hypothesizes enduring, regionally unique regimes of social cohesion resisting the homogenizing pressures of modernization.
The paper finds evidence for both perspectives. On the one hand, a syndrome of social cohesion was identified consisting of
trust, equality, order (i.e. lack of crime) and consensus on basic values which correlates closely with indicators of socio-economic
development. This finding supports the universalist perspective. On the other hand, and consistent with the particularist
perspective, the study found regionally unique patterns for Latin America, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. |
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