Pandemic spike in social cohesion starting to decline

Photo: Jamie Kidston/ANU - Social cohesion in Australia increased during the pandemic but is now declining due to a weaker sense of pride, belonging and social justice, according to a major study led by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) as part of a new partnership with the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. The findings are from the  Mapping Social Cohesion 2022 survey. Lead researcher, Dr James O'Donnell from ANU, said Australians' sense of belonging and connectedness in our neighbourhoods has been high and growing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. "During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Australians also reported higher levels of national pride and belonging, higher levels of trust in the Federal Government, a greater sense of social justice, and increased acceptance of people from different national and ethnic backgrounds," Dr O'Donnell said. "However, our sense of national pride, belonging, and social justice are declining and are now at their lowest levels since 2007. In fact, the sense of social inclusion and justice in Australia has declined sharply since 2020. "In 2022, social cohesion is lower than it was during the height of the pandemic. This has been driven by a renewed growth in the number of people who are concerned with economic inequality in Australia and a decline in our sense of national pride and belonging.