Kehalise

Kehalise is a term used in some social science and policy discussions to describe the process and outcome by which diverse elements within a community or organization are integrated into a cohesive whole. It is invoked to categorize practices, norms, and institutions that promote inclusive participation, mutual trust, and adaptive governance in the face of change or stress.

The etymology of kehalise is not standardized. It appears to be a recent neologism, with suggested roots in prefix-based abstract-noun formation found in several Southeast Asian languages, though such etymology is not universally accepted. In contemporary usage, the term tends to function as a descriptive label rather than a fixed theoretical construct.

Usage in literature tends to frame kehalise as a lens for examining resilience and social cohesion. Proponents describe characteristics such as participatory decision-making, shared identity across subgroups, cross-cultural dialogue, distributed leadership, and cooperative problem-solving. Practices associated with kehalise include inclusive budgeting processes, local councils, community rituals, and networks of mutual aid that help communities withstand shocks and adapt to new circumstances.

Critics note that kehalise can drift toward vagueness or be interpreted as a synonym for general cohesion, limiting its diagnostic value. Because it remains a developing concept with limited standard measurement, its applicability and comparative value vary across contexts. When used carefully, kehalise can complement existing analyses of governance, social capital, and resilience. See also social cohesion, resilience, participatory governance.