ABSTRACT
The concept of social cohesion has its roots in classical sociological theoryas a term to explain the social consequences of structural changes related to industrialization and modernity.1 In the contemporary period, social
cohesion has become central to contemporary policy debates amid contin-
uous structural social changes brought about by factors like globalization,
neoliberalism, technology and, most recently, the world economic crisis.
Presently, the consensus among experts and lay people alike is that the
quality of public and civic life is in alarming decline. These ideas about civic
and public decline feed into processes that, if harnessed positively, can foster
the development of a harmonious society in which all groups have a sense of
belonging, participation, inclusion, recognition and legitimacy.2
