Transitions, transformations and tradeoffs: Protecting and strengthening societal resilience and cohesion

New Zealanders’ high compliance with Covid-19 lockdown rules and our collective responses to the Auckland and Christchurch terror attacks demonstrate our societal values and commitment to a cohesive society. However, longer-term societal issues such as climate change, economic transition, and social transition with an increasingly diverse population could still undermine our social cohesion.

A new Koi Tū commentary, Transitions, transformations and trade-offs: Protecting and strengthening societal resilience and cohesion, discusses trust and cohesion in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Given the potential for tensions arising between a bicultural and multicultural agenda, it is critical to think about how to sustain our societal cohesion. Having a good understanding of our society’s fabric and the things that threaten its integrity are essential in dealing with these challenges.