Sarah Botterman

'One size fits all'? An empirical study into the multidimensionality of social cohesion indicators in Belgian local communities

Recently, various attempts have been undertaken to develop a comprehensive social cohesion index to monitor the social progress of society. However, classical sociological theories predict that contemporary modern communities function according to a different type of social cohesion than traditional communities. From both a theoretical and a methodological perspective, it can be questioned whether social cohesion can be summarised into one single index. In this article, an extensive dataset of social cohesion indicators is analysed, including indicators of religious involvement, social inclusion, crime and voter turnout, for 308 local communities in the Flemish region of Belgium. Based on first- and second-order factor analyses, it is concluded that it is impossible to construct one single indicator for social cohesion when taking the multidimensionality of the concept into account. While the traditional form prevails in rural areas, it does not coincide with a distinct modern form that prevails in urban areas.

Urbanization, Community Size, and Population Density: Is There a Rural-Urban Divide in Participation in Voluntary Organizations or Social Network Formation?

Traditional sociological insights assume that cities are characterized by lower levels of voluntary engagement as it is expected that community size and population density are negatively associated with network and mobilization opportunities. Others, however, argue that cities allow for the formation of different networks that are no longer based on ascribed personal characteristics. The authors analyze voluntary association membership in Belgium, based on the “Social Cohesion Indicators in Flanders” dataset (n = 2,080 respondents, sampled in 40 communities). The analysis shows that neither population density nor community size have an effect on scope or intensity of participation in voluntary associations. Only two forms of associations are negatively related to population density. Their results therefore do not support the hypothesis of a rural-urban divide in participation in voluntary associations. They speculate how future research could take into account different sorts of voluntary associations when investigating the rural-urban divide and include other measurements of participation.

The social life of divorced parents. Do custody arrangements make a difference in divorced parents’ social participation and contacts?

Social life is fostered by having a partner and children that create interactions and generate new social networks. For divorced parents, the question is whether these positive relationships remain after marital dissolution. Do children form an additional barrier to social interaction, or do new partners present a means to reconstruct divorcees’ social life? In this case, it is important to consider custody arrangements. The research question is how custody arrangements affect divorced parents’ possibilities to participate in outdoor home leisure activities and to maintain their social contacts. Focus is placed on the recent post-divorce parenting model of joint physical custody, taking Belgium as a pioneer case study. Multi-level regressions are conducted, using multi-actor data from the Divorce in Flanders survey (N = 1506 divorced parents). Results show that joint physical custody helps divorced parents to stay socially integrated. Especially for mothers, joint physical custody has a liberating effect. They engage in more outdoor home activities and better maintain their social networks than sole custody mothers. In this way, the positive effects of social interaction can counterbalance other detrimental effects of divorce and contribute to a higher level of their general well-being. While joint custody for fathers means they may spend more time with their children, their engagement in personal leisure activities and social networks is not altered by this custody arrangement.

Family resources as mediators in the relation between divorce and children's school engagement

Abstract Children are increasingly growing up in non-intact families. Because the family is a vital developmental part of growing-up, parental divorce can have far-reaching effects on children. This article investigates whether divorce interferes with childrens engagement in school. According to the deprivation perspective, the effect of a parental divorce on children is mediated through the availability of family resources. Structural equation models are performed on the Leuvens Adolescent and Family Study. We conclude that the parental divorce effect on school engagement is mediated by the parent-child relationship, parental conflict, and financial problems at home.