Suchergebnisse

Many people in the Western world are concerned that the social fabric of societies is fraying. This book constitutes the first-of-its-kind systematic account of social cohesion, from theory through methodology to empirical evidence. Readers are introduced to the academically developed Social Cohesion Radar of Bertelsmann Stiftung, a globally active non-governmental organization. The Social Cohesion Radar defines and measures cohesion as characterized by three core aspects: resilient social relations, positive emotional connectedness between people and the community, and a pronounced focus on the common good. Using high-quality academic and institutional data sources, the Social Cohesion Radar provides insights into the level and development of social cohesion over a period of almost 25 years internationally, among 34 European Union and OECD members, and regionally, among the 16 federal states of Germany. It further provides insights into what influences cohesion, and what cohesion is good for. One of the key findings is that social cohesion promotes a happier life for everyone.

AbstractAlthough social integration has always been a central sociological issue, there has never been a consensus how to approach the topic empirically. In the new millennium, social cohesion has emerged as a lead concept for measuring how integrated societies are—not the least, because many observers see the social fabric of modern-day societies in deep crisis. Consequently, scholars and think tanks have intensified their efforts to chart how strong the social glue of contemporary societies is, as well as which conditions strengthen or weaken it. The main goal of our article is to provide an overview of measures of social cohesion that have been specifically designed for cross-national comparisons. To this end, we compare selected measures with respect to what they measure, how, and for what purpose. We then highlight key empirical insights gained by these measures, touching upon the issues of levels, regimes, as well as determinants and outcomes of social cohesion. The review concludes that one of the measures, the Bertelsmann Social Cohesion Radar, stands out in terms of conceptual clarity, methodological sophistication, and richness of empirical findings.

Die Studie erforschte die Einstellungen zu zunehmender Vielfalt in der deutschen Gesellschaft und den individuellen Umgang damit. Im Fokus stand die Bedeutung der Akzeptanz von Vielfalt für den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt im Land. Akzeptanz von Vielfalt wurde als mehrdimensionales Konstrukt konzipiert und hinsichtlich Lebensalter, Behinderung, Geschlecht, sexueller Orientierung, sozio-ökonomischer Schwäche, ethnischer Herkunft und Religion erfasst. Zudem wurden die personalen und strukturellen Bedingungen für eine hohe Akzeptanz von Vielfalt sowie Möglichkeiten einer fördernden politischen wie zivilgesellschaftlichen Einflussnahme darauf untersucht.

Die vorliegenden Querschnittdaten wurden zwischen Anfang Mai und Mitte Juli 2018 im Rahmen einer standardisierten CATI-Umfrage erhoben. Hierzu wurde ein von ADM bereitgestellter Dual-Frame-Telefonauswahlrahmen aus Festnetz- und Mobilfunknummern im Verhältnis 55:45 herangezogen. Um eine aussagekräftige Darstellung der bevölkerungsärmeren Bundesländer zu ermöglichen, wurde eine disproportionale Länder-Schichtung vorgenommen, die sich durch Gewichtung ausgleichen lässt. Die Auswahl der Zielpersonen bei Festnetzanschlüssen erfolgte nach dem Last-Birthday-Verfahren, bei Mobilfunkanschlüssen wurde hingegen der Hauptnutzer des Geräts befragt. Die resultierende Stichprobe umfasst 3.025 zufällig erreichte deutschsprachige Personen und ist für die Wohnbevölkerung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland im Alter ab 16 Jahren repräsentativ. Die Interviews dauerten im Durchschnitt 34 Minuten. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte durch infas – Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft GmbH, Bonn.

Die Studie liefert Daten über Einstellungen zu Vielfalt und deren Dimensionen, zu Eliten und Menschen mit unterschiedlichen Lebensstilen, zu Politik und Globalisierung; sowie zur Akzeptanz von Vielfalt im eigenen Umfeld (Nachbarschaft und Familie). Ebenfalls erfasst wurden die Wahrnehmung des gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalts; subjektives Wohlbefinden; Persönlichkeitsmerkmale; das Erleben von Respekt und Diskriminierung; sowie sozio-demografische und -ökonomische Merkmale der Zielpersonen.

In recent years, it has often been claimed that social cohesion, the social fabric of our societies, is decaying. The present report undertakes an empirical exploration of the validity of this alarmist view and considers the importance of social cohesion for citizens' assessments of their quality of life. Drawing on data from the three most recent rounds of Eurofound's European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) – carried out in 2007, 2011 and 2016 – the report sets out to assess the current level of social cohesion in the EU and its evolution over time. It focuses on groups that are at risk of experiencing low social cohesion and on societal characteristics that contribute to creating cohesion. Overall, the findings reveal that in addition to the predictable drivers of social cohesion – prosperity, a generous and inclusive welfare system, high levels of education and low unemployment – digital skills has emerged as a critical driver, leading to more cohesive societies and thereby happier citizens in the EU.

Many people in the Western world are concerned that the social fabric of societies is fraying. This book constitutes the first-of-its-kind systematic account of social cohesion, from theory through methodology to empirical evidence. Readers are introduced to the academically developed Social Cohesion Radar of Bertelsmann Stiftung, a globally active non-governmental organization. The Social Cohesion Radar defines and measures cohesion as characterized by three core aspects: resilient social relations, positive emotional connectedness between people and the community, and a pronounced focus on the common good. Using high-quality academic and institutional data sources, the Social Cohesion Radar provides insights into the level and development of social cohesion over a period of almost 25 years internationally, among 34 European Union and OECD members, and regionally, among the 16 federal states of Germany. It further provides insights into what influences cohesion, and what cohesion is good for. One of the key findings is that social cohesion promotes a happier life for everyone