Hosting New Neighbors : Perspectives of Host Communities on Social Cohesion in Eastern DRC
Situations of forced displacement create unique challenges for social cohesion because of the major disruption of social dynamics among both displaced persons and host communities. This paper uses a sequential mixed method approach to analyze the r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , | 
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| Format: | Working Paper | 
| Language: | English | 
| Published: | 
        
      World Bank, Washington, DC    
    
      2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099005106232213093/IDU0ef49c6600ba1e04eca0a30c04d1e2aa727f4 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37595  | 
| Summary: | Situations of forced displacement
            create unique challenges for social cohesion because of the
            major disruption of social dynamics among both displaced
            persons and host communities. This paper uses a sequential
            mixed method approach to analyze the relationship between
            hosting displaced persons and perceptions of social cohesion
            in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. First,
            participatory research methods in focus groups empowered
            participants to produce a locally driven definition of
            social cohesion. The results from these exercises inform the
            quantitative assessment by dictating measurement strategies
            when analyzing original surveys. Combining almost 50,000
            responses to 11 cross-sectional surveys between 2017 and
            2021, displacement is negatively associated with perceptions
            of social cohesion in aggregate. But at the individual
            level, those who report hosting displaced populations in
            their communities often have higher perceptions of social
            cohesion. These results are strongest among respondents who
            self-report hosting IDPs as opposed to refugees, but
            important heterogeneity across indicators, local context,
            and gender should guide policy meant to promote social
            cohesion in forced displacement. | 
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