Social cohesion in Africa
The research project identifies different types of social cohesion in Africa and analyses which domestic and international factors and policies can contribute to strengthening social cohesion and preventing social disintegration or even polarization. The project also aims at bringing together different actors involved in development cooperation to put social cohesion more at the center of policy efforts.
Project Lead:
Francesco Burchi
Julia Leininger
Armin von Schiller
Project Team:
Axel Berger
Florence Dafe
Charlotte Fiedler
Erin McCandless
Karina Mross
Daniel Nowack
Michael Roll
Tekalign Gutu Sakketa
Ghadafi Saibu
Christoph Strupat
Kasper Vrolijk
Yabibal Walle
Christopher Wingens
Financing:
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Time frame:
2018 - 2023
/
ongoing
Project description
Social cohesion within societies is a key factor for sustainable development. That is why promoting social cohesion should be a priority in development policy, especially in Africa, where societies are particularly under pressure. Demographic and climate change, and the socio-economic consequences of the recent Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine with the sharp increases in energy and food prices have deleterious effects on poverty and inequality. They are also likely to cause social fragmentation. In Africa, inequality is generally very high in comparison with other world regions. At the same time, several conflicts threaten to further divide societies. If functioning institutions are missing, the interests of the population cannot be aggregated and low-intensity conflicts further contribute to societies drifting apart.
Overall, current academic debates are not able to paint a holistic picture of social cohesion in Africa, from which deriving overarching recommendations for the design and implementation of development policies in the continent. Against this background, the project aims to gain a better understanding of different types of social cohesion, as well as their causes. The project provides research and policy advice and aims to answer three central questions:
- Which forms and types of social cohesion can be identified in Africa? Is it possible to depict these different types of social cohesion in country clusters?
- Which domestic factors influence the degree of social cohesion? How can policies contribute to the creation and consolidation of social cohesion?
- How and under which conditions can international and transnational cooperation influence the domestic factors that determine social cohesion?
Four main thematic areas structure the project. We investigate them in four work packages (WPs):
- Inclusive economic development: WP1 focuses on issues connected to structural economic transformation, urbanisation and foreign direct investment with an emphasis on how to maximize opportunities for sustainable economic development, which in turn can improve social cohesion;
- Social policy, poverty and health: WP2 analyses poverty and health in African societies, and the specific role that different social and health policies can have in tackling poverty and improving health conditions. This, in turn, can promote both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of social cohesion.
- Values, political institutions and resources mobilisation: WP3 focuses on how cultural factors, such as norms and value-orientation, affect the creation and functioning of political institutions in African societies as well as how political institution affect the interaction among citizens and their perception of the state.
- Conflict and societal peace: WP4 analyses which policies and institutions can help to restore social cohesion in post-conflict societies and how international support can contribute. This WP concentrates primarily on the role of transitional justice and local elections.
Publications
-
Strengthening social cohesion in conflict-affected societies: potential, patterns and pitfalls
Cox, Fletcher D. / Charlotte Fiedler / Karina Mross (2023)
Policy Brief 3/2023 -
How does globalisation affect social cohesion?
Vrolijk, Kasper (2023)
Discussion Paper 5/2023 -
Can integrated social protection programmes affect social cohesion? Mixed-methods evidence from Malawi
Burchi, Francescco / Federico Roscioli (2022)
in: European Journal of Development Research, 34 (3), 1240 - 1263 -
Policy responses to COVID-19: why social cohesion and social protection matter in Africa
Leininger, Julia / Armin von Schiller / Christoph Strupat / Daniele Malerba (2022)
Discussion Paper 20/2022 -
Determinants of social cohesion: cross-country evidence
Walle, Yabibal M. (2022)
Discussion Paper 18/2022 -
Inequality and social cohesion in Africa: theoretical insights and an exploratory empirical investigation
Burchi, Francesco / Gabriela Zapata-Román (2022)
Discussion Paper 16/2022 -
Social cohesion and firms’ access to finance in Africa
Walle, Yabibal M. (2022)
Discussion Paper 9/2022 -
More than the sum of its parts: donor-sponsored cash-for-work programmes and social cohesion in Jordanian communities hosting Syrian refugees
Zintl, Tina / Markus Loewe (2022)
The European Journal of Development Research, 34 (3), 1320 - 1357 -
Disentangling the relationship between social protection and social cohesion: introduction to the special issue
Burchi, Francesco / Markus Loewe / Daniele Malerba / Julia Leininger (2022)
in: European Journal of Development Research, 34 (3), 1195 - 1215 -
The preserving effect of social protection on social cohesion in times of the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Kenya
Strupat, Christoph (2021)
Discussion Paper 33/2021 -
Social cohesion: a new definition and a proposal for its measurement in Africa
Leininger, Julia / Francesco Burchi / Charlotte Fiedler / Karina Mross / Daniel Nowack / Armin von Schiller / Christoph Sommer / Christoph Strupat / Sebastian Ziaja (2021)
Discussion Paper 31/2021 -
Can integrated social protection programmes affect social cohesion? Mixed-methods evidence from Malawi
Burchi, Francesco / Federico Roscioli (2021)
Discussion Paper 3/2021 -
Gradual, cooperative, coordinated: effective support for peace and democracy in conflict-affected states
Fiedler, Charlotte / Jörn Grävingholt / Julia Leininger / Karina Mross (2020)
in: International Studies Perspectives 21 (1), 54-77 -
The role of values for social cohesion: theoretical explication and empirical exploration
Nowack, Daniel / Sophia Schoderer (2020)
Discussion Paper 6/2020 -
Revenue collection and social policies: their underestimated contribution to social cohesion
Burchi, Francesco / Christoph Strupat / Armin von Schiller (2020)
Briefing Paper 1/2020 -
Steuer- und Sozialpolitik: ein unterschätzter Beitrag zur sozialen Kohäsion
Burchi, Francesco / Armin von Schiller / Christoph Strupat (2020)
Analysen und Stellungnahmen 4/2020 -
A comparative analysis of tax system in the BRICs and the challenges ahead: informality and the fiscal contract
Seelkopf, Laura / Armin von Schiller (2020)
in: Santiago López-Cariboni (ed.) / Editor-in-chief: Edward D. Mansfield / Nita Rudra, The Political Economy of the BRICS Countries, Volume 3: Political economy of informality in BRIC countries, London: World Scientific Publishing, 31-51 -
Social cohesion and economic development: unpacking the relationship
Sommer, Christoph (2019)
Briefing Paper 16/2019 -
What do we know about post-conflict transitional justice from academic research: key insights for practitioners
Fiedler, Charlotte / Karina Mross (2019)
Briefing Paper 3/2019 -
Linking social protection schemes: the joint effects of a public works and a health insurance programme in Ethiopia
Shigute, Zemzem / Christoph Strupat / Francesco Burchi / Getnet Alemu / Arjun S. Bedi (2019)
in: The Journal of Development Studies (Online first) -
First peace, then democracy? Evaluating strategies of international support at critical junctures after civil war
Mross, Karina (2019)
in: International Peacekeeping 26 (2), 190-215 -
Addressing food insecurity and agricultural production under a changing climate context in Nigeria
Chinedum, Nwajiuba / Chinwe Ifejika Speranza (2011)
Perspectives: Political analysis and commentary from Africa (Heinrich Böll Foundation publication series) -
Cash transfers and food security in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Burchi, Francesco / Giorgio D'Agostino / Luca Pieroni / Margherita Scarlato (2018)
in: South African Journal of Economics Volume 86 (4), 383-400 -
Cultural values, attitudes, and democracy promotion in Malawi: how values mediate the effectiveness of donor support for the reform of presidential term limits and family law
Nowack, Daniel (2018)
Discussion Paper 27/2018 -
Cultural values, popular attitudes and democracy promotion: how values mediate the effectiveness of donor support for term limits and LGBT+ rights in Uganda
Hulse, Merran (2018)
Discussion Paper 26/2018 -
Unbundling the impacts of economic empowerment programmes: evidence from Malawi
Burchi, Francesco / Christoph Strupat (2018)
Discussion Paper 32/2018 -
Linking small-scale farmers to the durum wheat value chain in Ethiopia: assessing the effects on production and wellbeing
Biggeri, Mario / Francesco Burchi / Federico Ciani / Raoul Herrmann (2018)
in: Food Policy 79 (August), 77-91
Events
Project Coordination
Co-operation Partner
Links
Flyer Social Cohesion in Africa
In order to strengthen networks between academics, practitioners and policy makers working on social cohesion we the project conceived and launched the Social Cohesion Hub (Flyer), a knowledge-sharing platform. In particular, the Hub encourages dialogue between academics and practitioners working on the topic. In this vein, the Hub aims to promote exchange as well as foster cooperation and discussion between different stakeholder groups.