Kohærense

Kohærense is a concept used in several disciplines to denote the quality of coherence within a system, object, or text. The term, derived from the root kohærent with the suffix -ense, is used in Danish- and Norwegian-influenced scholarly discourse to describe how elements are aligned to produce unified meaning or function.

In linguistics and discourse analysis, kohærense refers to the semantic and pragmatic linking across propositions, consistent reference, and thematic progression. In information theory and complex systems, it denotes alignment between goals, constraints, and signals.

Indicators of kohærense include referential continuity, logical progression, absence of contradictory cues, and robustness under perturbation. Some scholars propose a composite kohærense score combining narrative coherence, internal consistency, and functional coherence—the fit between structure and function.

Applications of kohærense span evaluating texts and speeches, designing user interfaces, AI storytelling, institutional communication, and team collaboration where alignment of goals is essential.

Criticism centers on how to operationalize the concept and its context dependence. Some argue kohærense can mask fragmentation if cohesion is achieved through superficial means, while others view it as a useful heuristic rather than a fixed metric.

Historically, the term has gained traction in Nordic comparative discourse and interdisciplinary work since the late 20th century, but there is no single authoritative definition. It functions as a flexible concept that guides analysis rather than a rigid measurement.