What is beyond measurement for social cohesion?

• Main Authors: TOK, Qian Hui Tricia, WOODS, Orlando, KONG, Lily
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2024
• Subjects: social cohesion; measurement; indicators; conceptualisation; methodology; Nature and Society Relations
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/216
• Institution: Singapore Management University

“What gets measured gets managed” has long been a mantra to rally improvement throughout various domains of life. Perhaps this is also the case for existing work on social cohesion, whereby much of its conceptual and operational elements have received interest in both academic and policy research aiming for practical improvement with regard to the cohesiveness of communities and societies. We contend, however, that not everything that matters for social cohesion may be measurable, and not everything that has been measured for social cohesion may matter. This is not to suggest that not measuring any indicators is better than measuring them, but to caution that existing measures of social cohesion, as well-developed as they may currently be, might still be lacking in their ability to accurately assess the state of social cohesion in a given society. This paper sets out to question when and why measurements may fail. It seeks to critique current indicators of social cohesion by recognising what and who are missing from existing measures. To this end, we also call for discussion of alternative approaches to measuring social cohesion for areas where data is restricted or not easily accessible.