Exploring the relationship between diversity and social cohesion

Abstract

This thesis addresses the claim, widespread within immigration debates, that diversity and group cohesion are incompatible. A review of the literature shows that the evidence for this claim is inconclusive and I propose, from a social identity perspective, that diversity may only undermine cohesion when it is on a group defining dimension. The empirical studies take two forms, first two qualitative studies which examine diversity in real world settings; second three laboratory experiments which manipulate diversity and examine the impact on cohesion.

The first qualitative study examines the centrality of diversity arguments in calls for immigration control by party leaders. I do find some evidence for such arguments; however, they tend to be concealed and secondary to an overall claim that diversity is a threat and that the leader is addressing it. The second study addresses the way in which diversity impacts the relationship between refugees and locals in a northern town. Again, I find only very limited evidence for diversity causing problems. Rather, any issues derive from the presupposition that these migrants are all the same (i.e. the lack of diversity).

The first experiment replicates a classic study (Ip et al. 2006) which has been interpreted as showing that similarity leads to entitativity perceptions. Using a protocol analysis, I show this assumption to be problematic. The final two experiments tested the hypothesis that diversity is only a problem for social cohesion when it is on a group defining dimension. While the evidence for this is unclear, the results cast doubt on whether diversity is a problem for cohesion under any circumstances.

Overall, then, this thesis finds little support for the notion that diversity necessarily undermines group cohesion. Rather it points to the problems of failing to recognise diversity in a group.