This panel builds on a 2014 workshop convened by the Dialogue Society, which explored how a sense of belonging was experienced and negotiated in Britain within the context of diversity and multiculturalism. More than a decade later, the social and political landscape has changed considerably. Our updated inquiry moves beyond diversity as the central explanatory framework and instead examines the broader economic, social, and political conditions that have contributed to contemporary experiences of division and disconnection.
Recent evidence suggests that concerns about social cohesion are widespread. According to Ipsos (2025), 85% of Britons believe that society is divided, while more than half report feeling disconnected from the society around them (More in Common, 2025). These perceptions are increasingly reflected in political life. Electoral competition in Britain has become structured around opposing blocs that are sharply divided on issues commonly associated with the “culture wars,” particularly immigration (Bale, 2026). In 2024, these tensions culminated in what has been described as “the largest outbreak of far-right rioting and disorder in the post-war period” (Hope Not Hate, 2024).
Public and political debates frequently attribute these divisions to multiculturalism or immigration. Such arguments have been prominent across the political spectrum, including in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “Island of Strangers” speech (2025). However, this panel seeks to move beyond explanations that risk being both reductive and themselves divisive. Instead, we aim to investigate how experiences of exclusion and diminished belonging may be linked to a wider set of structural and cultural factors.
In particular, we invite contributions that explore the relationship between belonging and issues such as rising wealth inequality, poverty and economic insecurity, social media ecosystems and misinformation, populist political rhetoric, the narrowing or contestation of British identity, and growing political polarisation. By examining these interconnected dynamics, the panel aims to develop a more nuanced understanding of why feelings of division and alienation have become so prevalent in contemporary Britain.
We also welcome contributions that move beyond diagnosis to consider potential solutions. Drawing on robust theoretical and empirical research, we seek proposals that identify pathways towards a more inclusive and cohesive society, and that offer practical and imaginative approaches to strengthening a shared sense of belonging in Britain’s future.
