Approaches to Strengthen the Social Cohesion between Displaced and Host Communities

Abstract

A cohesive society is not only characterised by the availability of basic services and facilities, but also promotes economic equality and inclusion, democracy, and social solidarity. Forced displacement due to disasters and conflict constantly disrupt the path to a sustainable and cohesive society. Displaced communities often struggle with a lack of access to livelihood and a lack of financial independence and social and family stability. With these challenges, a lack of provision of basic services and facilities will create a competition for housing, health, and education between the displaced and host communities. Additionally, the economic competition for jobs and the role of international aid in terms of fairness create social tension between the displaced and the host. Likewise, multiple aspects weaken the social cohesion between displaced and host communities. Within this context, we investigated approaches to enhance social cohesion following disaster-induced and conflict-induced displacement. With the identification of this research need, the research team of the project titled REGARD (REbuild-inG AfteR Displacement) conducted 47 in-depth interviews in four partner countries (U.K., Sweden, Estonia, and Sri Lanka) with community representatives, social support networks, agency networks, officials, etc. Moreover, focus group discussions were conducted with community members in Sri Lanka. The collected data were analysed through a qualitative data analysis procedure. The findings present eight approaches to strengthen the social cohesion between displaced and host communities. These eight approaches include the adequate provision of basic services and facilities without limiting the capacity of the host, support services aimed at local integration, economic integration between the displaced and host, and social cohesion through the built environment.

Social integration of internally displaced persons in Ukraine: Problems and challenges for governing local communities

“…The concept of "social integration" in relation to IDPs does not cause much discussion today. Basically, social integration is understood as a sense of belonging, the inclusion of people in various types of social activities, and social cohesion; as the ability of displaced persons and their host to live in the same community environment, to tolerate, trust, and support each other, and to live peacefully together (Jayakody et al, 2022). In the process of integration (which is a long-term process), a stage of social adaptation may occur, i.e., a short-term process of overcoming shock, primarily cultural, from entering a different cultural environment to which it is necessary to adapt (Titar, 2016).…”

English and Co-Construction of Solidarity between Language Agents and Tourists in Tourism Information Service

“…In so doing, TIC staff position themselves as marketing "producers" of tourist objects to tourists who are positioned as "consumers" (Heller and Duchěne 2012), negotiating with the customers that the native population are the "legitimate" cultural producers (Gao 2016) as they illustrate the geographic and cultural beauty of the objects (Heller et al 2014) to the customers where everyday events are discursively made fantastic and exotic, thereby altering them from cultural purposes to revenue-generating events (Jaworski and Thurlow 2010) Symbolic solidarity, mechanical or organic, has been investigated in a number of language service contexts, particularly in healthcare and tourism. In healthcare, solidarity has been defined as the social cohesion between displayed and host communities by creating a collective identity or sharing similar concern in response to crises (Jayakody et al 2022). In this sense, a great body of knowledge has been recorded in the essential roles of language service agents in the provision of valid health information to patients and families with limited English competence.…”

Rebuilding after Displacement: A Skills Competency Audit of Built Environment Professional Documentation

“…The built environment, the way communities are designed and constructed, directly impacts physical and mental health [8]. Not only will hosted communities require food, water, heating, housing, and healthcare, but there is a need 2 of 27 to provide such necessities while maintaining a cohesive society [9]. This provision is inextricably linked to the presence of a professional built environment sector and the need for well-trained personnel who understand displacement challenges.…”