Religie en sociale cohesie in Nederland

Wat betekenen religieuze en demografische veranderingen voor het samenleven in verscheidenheid?

Samenvatting

This study examines the relationship between religiosity and various aspects of social cohesion in the Netherlands: social trust, institutional trust, social participation, and political participation. Does religion have a positive influence on social cohesion? In this respect, do we see differences between religions in the Netherlands? And what do these insights say about the future of social cohesion in the Netherlands? To answer these questions, data from over 5,000 respondents from the 2023 survey 'The Netherlands in Focus' (Nederland in Beeld) was analyzed. What we see is a mixed picture. The behavioral aspects of religion, in particular, are positively correlated with various aspects of social cohesion. Whether people consider themselves religious plays a minor role. However, the position of religious minority groups in the Netherlands is significant, both with regard to social and institutional trust and with regard to social and political participation.