The Center for Social Cohesion launched its program Tuesday with a panel discussion at the Walter Cronkite School, which will join the College of Public Programs to create the new center.
ASU President Michael Crow introduced the program, which is a joint venture among ASU, the New American Foundation and Zócalo Public Square.
“I envision (the center) being a place where fantastic new ideas emerge,” Crow said.
Crow gave his definition of social cohesion, which he said has two parts: capacity and concept.
“Social cohesion is the capacity of a society to ensure the well-being of all of its members, (as well as) the concept of a shared responsibility,” Crow explained.
Center Director Gregory Rodriguez spoke on his view of social cohesion as constructed through his experiences and work as a senior fellow at the New American Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan institute that gathers thinkers with new ideas together to address the challenges of the United States, according to their website.
Rodriguez, also a Los Angeles Times columnist and founder of Zócalo Public Square, said he hopes to use the Center for Social Cohesion to find new models for solidarity in America.
“We overestimate, we underestimate,” he said. “We don’t know how to conceptualize a brown America. I believe it is the right time and the right place to study social cohesion.”
Following Rodriguez’s introduction, two discussion panels explored the future of social cohesion in the United States. Panel members included Joe Mathews, Tamar Jacoby, Luis Plascencia, Dowell Myers and Jennifer Ferro.
The first panel, moderated by Cronkite professor Leonard Downie, Jr., considered the question, “Can the United States remain united?” The second panel, moderated by fellow member at the Center for Social Cohesion Andres Martinez, gave opinions on the question, “What should social cohesion mean in a Facebook world?”
Rodriguez said the center would be more focused in its approach to answering questions but added that the questions will never have a single answer.
“The beauty of the United States is it is constantly evolving,” Rodriguez said. “We must accept both the promises of diversity and the challenges of such.”
Jonathan Koppell, the School of Public Affairs Director, focused on the effects of social media on social cohesion.
“There is a difference between connectedness and cohesion,” Koppell said.
While Facebook increases connection, it does not necessarily increase cohesiveness, he added.
While the discussions touched on difficult issues, such as the economy and immigration reform, both the panelists and those involved in the event remained optimistic.
“At the end of the day,” President Crow said, “those ideas that bring us together prevail.”
Contact the reporter at mauro.whiteman@asu.edu
