Building successful diverse communities: What works and why?

This project is focused on a central issue of our times - maximising community harmony in the context of growing demographic diversity (ethnic, cultural, religious). Public policy, drawing on much of social psychology and related fields, recognises important contributing factors such as social cohesion and social capital, intergroup contact, cross-group friendships, and positive social norms. To date these factors lack theoretical integration and there is scarce robust evidence surrounding what works and why in moving local communities towards social harmony. This project, in collaboration with DIAC, addresses these issues in order to move the field and policy processes forward.