social cohesion

IELTS use

Useful for discussing social stability, community relations, and the impacts of policies or demographic changes on society.

Examples

1. Widening income gaps tend to undermine social cohesion in many urban areas.
2. Governments can strengthen social cohesion by investing in public spaces and local community programs.
3. Rapid migration without integration efforts may threaten social cohesion in host societies.

Collocations

strengthen social cohesion

Educational initiatives that bring children from different backgrounds together help strengthen social cohesion.

undermine social cohesion

High levels of inequality and discrimination often undermine social cohesion.

promote social cohesion

The government introduced a series of policies to promote social cohesion among diverse communities.

threaten social cohesion

Economic uncertainty can threaten social cohesion, especially when resources become scarce.

Word family

Noun

cohesion

Verb

cohere

Adjective

cohesive

Paraphrases

• social harmony: A more general and less formal way to refer to a peaceful, cooperative society.
• community spirit: Common in speaking contexts, focusing on local fellowship rather than national unity.
• level of mutual trust and cooperation: An explanatory phrase that unpacks the concept for a clearer definition.

Common mistakes

• Social cohesion of the country is decreasing. to Social cohesion in the country is weakening.. We say 'social cohesion in a place' rather than 'of', and use 'weak/strong' rather than 'high/low' when describing it as improving or declining.
• A coherent society is one where people trust each other. to A cohesive society is one where people trust each other.. 'Coherent' means logical and consistent, while 'cohesive' describes social unity; they are often confused.
• The government's main goal is to improve social cohesions. to The government's main goal is to improve social cohesion.. 'Social cohesion' is an uncountable noun, so it cannot be pluralised.