Search

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.

Understanding the conditions under which displaced persons become actively engaged in social and political life is critical to building durable solutions to displacement. To do so, this paper analyzes original surveys that sample IDPs and similarly at-risk but not displaced populations in Iraq (2019), the Philippines (2010), and Uganda (2007 and 2010). Variation in the type and degree of engagement across contexts suggest that the relationship between displacement and empowerment is mediated by contextual factors. To better understand the mechanisms and grapple with the non-random nature of displacement, the analysis explores temporal variation in Uganda, where the relationships change over time within the same case, and use matching models in the Philippines and Iraq to explore whether differences in the displacement experience (urban v. rural, camp based versus non-camp-based displacement) influence levels of engagement. Displacement experience is positively associated with some manifestations of empowerment compared to control groups, but inconsistently across contexts. Finally, the paper explores heterogeneity among IDPs within cases based on the context of their dis-placement, finding a consistent negative association between camp-based displacement and perceptions of empowerment. The results have important implications for humanitarian policy in contexts of forced displacement.