The Sense of Social Belonging in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: A Field Analytical Study

Abstract

This study, (The Sense of Social Belonging in the Kurdistan Region/Iraq: An Analytical Field Study) explores the nature of the sense of social belonging in the region as a pivotal variable that shapes individual identity and one's relationship with society and institutions, serving as an essential indicator of social cohesion, stability, development, and peace. Its significance stems from the distinctive historical, political, and social character of the study population. The study seeks to address its core problem measuring levels of social belonging and identifying its points of strength and weakness in order to anticipate trajectories of peace or latent conflict.

To achieve this, the study adopted a mixed quantitative qualitative analytical approach, comprising a questionnaire distributed to a purposive sample of 290 respondents, along with nine in-depth interviews conducted across the Kurdistan Region. The age group (40–74) was deliberately selected to ensure a sample that had consciously lived through the major transformations, events, crises, and circumstances the region experienced during the study period (2003–2023), thereby lending greater credibility to the data on social belonging and its findings.

The study revealed a high, positive overall level of social belonging, with a mean score of (4.05 - 5). Community participation and interpersonal bonds emerged as the strongest pillars of social cohesion, particularly in values of solidarity during crises (4.17 - 5) and in the high sense of pride in cultural identity and value congruence (4.22 and 4.29, respectively). However, the study also identified a gap between sentiment and lived reality: while pride in belonging is high, satisfaction with a communal environment that supports the achievement of personal goals drops to its lowest level (4.00 - 5), pointing to a shortfall in accommodating individuals' aspirations. The study further identified a notable proportion of individuals experiencing social alienation a group reflecting a weakened sense of belonging that warrants the attention of policymakers. The study concludes that strengthening a unifying, overarching identity and closing the gap between individuals' aspirations and the performance of society, its structures, and official institutions are the two principal pathways to ensuring sustainable development and building durable social peace in the region.