Book Review: Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides (1st ed). by G. L. Cohen

Belonging is a delicate balance between personal affiliation, recognition, and comfort within an individual's surroundings, rooted in human affectivity, attachment, and identification. It shapes individual experiences and social structures across cultural, social, and psychological dimensions—with the act of belonging constituting a rightful inclusion and mutual recognition, a fundamental element of the human condition.

This is the lens through which Geoffrey L. Cohen pursues his research in Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides. Cohen insists that belonging is central to the needs of people, to every level of society, and to the individual. Modern crises of belonging, such as loneliness, social fragmentation, and ‘diseases of despair,’ corrode mental well-being, collective cohesion, and social solidarity. Cohen argues that future building plans must be based on evidence and inclusive, with strategies that seek mutual recognition and celebrate differences.

At the heart of Cohen's work is what he terms situation crafting, the concept that even small, deliberate adjustments to situational dynamics can significantly impact human behavior. Cohen grounds his arguments in Kurt Lewin's seminal theories on behavior, contending that, in many cases, situational dynamics exert a greater influence than individual traits and can result in significant behavioral changes. His discussion on wise criticism acts as an example of this idea, being a kind of feedback in which constructive critique is mixed with affirmations, resulting in high levels of expectation and a sense of potential. Cohen cites a study that gave Black students feedback in supportive language intended to counter stereotype threat. It increased trust in teachers, significantly increased motivation to revise their work, and had measurable academic gains, including long-term improvements in educational attainment (pp. 204– 205). Students across demographics demonstrated enhanced confidence, underscoring the enduring impact of timely and constructive encouragement.

The adaptability of social systems and the role of intentional interventions in fostering inclusive environments emerge as recurring themes throughout Cohen's work. He highlights how deliberate situational adjustments can create lasting opportunities to build trust, strengthen connections, and promote inclusion. However, the pursuit of belonging often encounters entrenched barriers such as stereotypes, biases, and social divisions. Empathy-driven strategies, like ‘wise interventions,’ have effectively overcome these obstacles and bridged divides. Cohen notes that initiatives promoting dialogue among opposing groups can greatly increase understanding and a sense of shared humanity. One example of these is programs that allow participants to share their personal stories with each other. Deconstructing these narratives helps break down walls of mistrust and cultivate environments that privilege inclusivity and mutual recognition so that people begin to see one another not as representatives of opposing perspectives but as complex human beings.

Yet, polarized or one-sided media narratives also undermine attempts to create a sense of belonging (Nolan et al., 2016). Here, Cohen argues that these types of narratives merely confirm bias because people are persuaded to look for information that aligns with their preexisting beliefs. This deepens social divisions and complicates efforts to establish trust and inclusion (pp. 266–270). Underlying these challenges is the urgent need to teach and encourage empathy and critical media engagement, which counteract the polarizing nature of biased narratives and prevent the breakdown of unity. This view aligns with the findings of Potter (2013), maintaining that the acquisition of media literacy allows the audience to interact critically with the media messages. Audiences can develop analytical skills to discern the motives and impacts of media narratives, particularly those designed to create division. Potter argues that enhanced media literacy not only shields individuals from the negative effects of direct or indirect suggestions but also enables them to participate meaningfully in enlightened debates, thereby enhancing their understanding and collaboration with each other. Cohen also shows that belonging is influenced not only by media narratives but also by communication practices in educational settings. In discussing this, he notes that we should steer away from approaches that produce shame, which he calls ‘the bane of belonging’ (p. 215). For example, affirmations of students’ potential and stories of peers triumphing over challenges were easily included in revising student letters (without making students feel left out). All the aforementioned examples demonstrate how effective communication strategies can contribute to the development of trust and meaningful connections.

Cohen's insights span the realms of education, workplaces, healthcare, and governance. To flourish in education requires more than diversity; it requires environments in which everyone feels valued and supported. Similarly, in workplaces, Cohen builds on Amy Edmondson's idea of psychological safety, which she describes as ‘people feel able to speak up when needed—with relevant ideas, questions, or concerns—without being shut down in a gratuitous way’ (p. 230). In healthcare, initiatives toward building trust with marginalized communities are positive examples of the transformative power of inclusivity. A sense of belonging can be fostered through deliberate effort and new practices in these contexts.

This book mirrors other theoretical frameworks. Cohen's idea of situation crafting aligns with Harari's (2015) intersubjective realities, which demonstrate how social structures emerge from shared belief. In order to understand modern phenomena such as social media, it is necessary to explore the ways in which individual agency and collective imagination come together to mold what narratives do to form public opinion. These are personal experiences and identities that shape collective discourse and intensify the feeling of belonging in an increasingly interconnected world. Cohen and Harari explain how these narratives help cooperation and the formation of a cohesive, collective structure. Moreover, Cohen's remarks on encouraging critical interaction with information seem to share similarities with Sperber and Mercier's (2017) concept of epistemic vigilance. Their work underlines the role of reason in evaluating the credibility of info and standing against manipulation, themes that align with Cohen's focus on cultivating critical thinking and dialogue. The work invites readers to critically engage with media and use collective knowledge to build communities based on mutual understanding. In a polarized and misinformed world, people can turn social spaces into places for dialogue and democratic engagement. This provides a way of doing so in practice, connecting with people who are significant to you and helping them feel that they belong in a world that is becoming increasingly fragmented.

Framing belonging as an opportunity to be created means navigating it through cultural and contextual challenges. Strategies for individualistic and collectivist societies must be thoughtfully adapted. Moreover, the concept of belonging is also extremely fragmented and depends at least as much on someone's identity, personal background, and social engagement with marginal groups in society as it does on cultural conflict.

Belonging, therefore, is not a theoretical construct but a practical imperative of socializing inclusive and empathic communities. It transcends the individual, fostering social cooperation and trust at the societal level. Cohen's work addresses these complexities and offers a way forward to one of the most pressing social challenges of our time. Ultimately, Belonging challenges readers to consider how to build connection—and create inclusion and empathy—in our day-to-day lives and within broader social structures.