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Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond (December 2023)

Publication Date:

19/12/2023

Content Type:

Event Reports

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City-Led ActionGlobal CrisesLocal ImpactsMayoral LeadershipNorth AmericaSocial Cohesion

— 2 minutes reading time

On 13 December 2023, the Strong Cities Network hosted the first in a series of webinars on Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond. Given the range of threats facing cities in North America as a result of global crises – ranging from COVID-19 and migration to the war in Ukraine, climate change, and, most immediately, Israel-Gaza – Strong Cities invited mayors from Athens (Ohio), Highland Park (Illinois) and Overland Park (Kansas), researchers (from the Bridging Divides Initiative and Institute for Strategic Dialogue), and community convener Foundation for a Path Forward in Vancouver, Canada, to discuss what cities are facing and how local leaders can most effectively manage the inter-communal tensions resulting from these crises.

Speakers shared insights on the range of challenges cities are facing as well as strategies and examples for preventing and responding to the rising levels hate and inter-communal tension that threaten to undermine social cohesion. Key takeaways included:

• As online and offline threats proliferate, communities are afraid. Extremist actors from across the ideological spectrum are exploiting the conflict to spread hateful rhetoric and direct calls for violence, including cyberattacks. Fortunately, most offline mobilisation has been peaceful, though there have been a number of violent protests and counter-demonstrations, physical attacks and threats. Jewish, Muslim and other affected communities are increasingly concerned for their safety.

• Communities are shaken, some are fraying. More homogenous communities have responded to the unfolding events as a moment to come together despite political differences. However, many others have seen the bonds of inter-communal relations being tested in this fraught moment, with all affected communities feeling significant amounts of sadness, fear and trauma.

• Mayors should engage and reassure their residents and, above all, listen. In such fraught times, communities often do not feel heard or their feelings acknowledged. Mayors should communicate clearly and frequently to their residents that their pain is seen and then reassure residents with overt displays of enhanced public safety measures. Often, just listening to affected individuals and providing safe spaces for residents to freely express their fears, concerns and even anger can be reassuring.

• It is vital to reorient perspectives towards one of shared community, while upholding impartial values. Rather than try to navigate between diametrically opposed viewpoints (‘us versus them’), a more successful strategy is to shift narratives to an ‘us versus us’ approach, enabling residents to view the issue as arising within a single city family. This is most effective by ascribing to, and not deviating from, universally applied moral principles regardless of the circumstance at hand.

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