This review examines claims that ethnic diversity and immigration reduce social trust and social cohesion. Drawing on research from multiple countries, the authors argue that inequality and segregation matter more than diversity itself, while modern societies remain cohesive through institutions and shared rules.
The paper’s central conclusion is that the popular claim “diversity reduces social cohesion” is far less supported by the evidence than many people assume. ⭐
Across dozens of studies and multiple countries, the authors find that the strongest predictors of low trust are usually inequality, poverty, segregation, and historical exclusion, not diversity itself. ⭐
They also argue that modern societies do not rely primarily on close-knit communities to function. Instead, they remain cohesive through institutions, shared rules, and a complex division of labor that actually benefits from diversity. ⭐
Immigration may change the social makeup of a country, but the authors conclude that it does not inherently threaten social stability and can often strengthen societies by providing labor, innovation, and demographic renewal.
A useful way to summarize the paper is:
What looks like a diversity problem is often an inequality or segregation problem. Modern societies succeed not because everyone is similar, but because diverse people can participate in the same institutions under the same rules. ⭐