What holds us together? Measuring dimensions of social cohesion in Canada

Social cohesion is a multi-dimensional concept referring to social connectedness, or the ‘glue’ that connects members of a society through bonds of solidarity and trust, within and across communities and organizations, and within society at large. The concept of social cohesion continues to garner interest in public and policy circles, perhaps reflecting the intuitive appeal of the concept and the role that cohesion can play in societies’ abilities to respond to challenges, to function effectively, and to support rewarding lives. As a latent concept that is not directly observable or measurable, social cohesion is often measured through key dimensions. In this context, a dimension refers to a constituent part of social cohesion. Using factor analysis and data from Statistics Canada’s 2020 General Social Survey on Social Identity, this study identifies nine key dimensions of social cohesion. Latent class modelling is then used to sort respondents into three latent classes or groups (“Low”, high “Confidence-Belonging” and high “Trust-Participation” cohesion groups) of individuals that share common traits and prioritize certain dimensions of social cohesion. The probabilistic classification of individuals in accordance with latent classes provides valuable insights into social sorting mechanisms and how this extends to cohesiveness within Canadian society.