Ethnic Diversity and Social Solidarity (pre-read)

Robert D. Putnam's famous paper "E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century" (2007), based on surveys and empirical data, reveals that in the short term, immigration and ethnic diversity tends to reduce social solidarity and social capital. In diverse communities and neighbourhoods, individuals are more likely to:

• Trust others less, including both people from different ethnic backgrounds and those from their own group.
• Participate less in civic activities and engage less in community-building efforts.
• Feel socially isolated, disengaged, and disconnected from others, leading to a phenomenon Putnam calls "hunkering down."

Despite the initial challenges, Putnam argues that societies can learn to embrace diversity over time. With deliberate efforts, communities can develop new, cross-cutting forms of social solidarity and more encompassing identities. In the long run immigration and diversity are likely to have important cultural, economic, fiscal, and developmental benefits.

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Please read in advance the article for the discussion.

About the author:

Robert D. Putnam (1941-) is an influential American political scientist focused on comparative politics. He is a Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. According to the Open Syllabus Project, Putnam is the fourth most frequently cited author on college syllabi for political science courses.