From 8 to 10 September 2025, in Singapore, Mr Him Raksmey, Executive Director of the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies (CCRS), were invited to attend a Workshop on “Cohesion Unpacked: Country Spotlights from the Southeast Asia Radar 2025”, organized by the Social Cohesion Research Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). The event aimed to discuss the state of social cohesion in Southeast Asia in the contexts of social relations, connectedness, and focus on the common goods. The workshop gathered about 50 regional experts ranging from political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, international relations scholars and think tankers.
During the discussion session, the ED of CCRS stated that social cohesion is important for national development processes in countries in Southeast Asia. Social cohesion helps enhance balance between state and society in the region, promote national resilience and in turn enhance regional resilience.
Key takeaways from this workshop included:
– Social cohesion is closely linked to good governance, rule of law, and inclusive development process.
– Regional experts noted that while social fabrics, particularly social relations, in countries in Southeast Asia are strong, there are still rooms for improvement to enhance social trust in public institutions.
– The Southeast Asian Social Cohesion Radar – an annual survey conducted by the Social Cohesion Research Programme of RSIS – is an important initiative to try to gain deeper understanding on the state of social cohesion in the region that is relevant for efforts for ASEAN countries to work individually and collectively to foster cohesiveness in societies in the region based on their local contexts.
