Destin Commun (France)

Destin Commun (More in Common France) works on withstanding the threats of social fracturing and building a more united and inclusive France, with a shared sense of belonging and inclusion. Extremist and far-right groups have been active in France for longer than in most other European countries, exploiting social fractures and advancing divisive ‘us-versus-them’ narratives. With our work we are aiming to better understand the appeal of these narratives and identify ways to build a unifying sense of French identity that can make our society more resilient against division.

Our current work

Our work from 2020 is shaped by Finding France, our new baseline research study that maps today’s France in terms of people’s core beliefs and psychology, using similar methodology to that deployed in the Hidden Tribes study of polarization in the United States.

This new report was published in February 2020 : “Finding France : A people in search of their country

Read the complementary research published in March 2020 : "Finding France : Can the environment reunite France?"

These two researches aim to provide a deeper understanding of France’s ‘middle groups’ in ways that will be especially useful for other organizations to apply these insights in their public engagement efforts. This work builds on earlier studies we published in 2017 on French attitudes towards migration and national identity and in 2018 on French catholics attitudes towards refugees. 

The core of our strategy in France is to work in partnership with French organizations to reach large-scale audiences and advance narratives of the French ‘bigger us’.

Nos Initiatives Former La Société Civile

To that end, for example, we are assisting the work being undertaken by several French Catholic organizations including the French Bishops’ Conference, Caritas France, La Pastorale des Migrants and CCFD-Terre solidaire and the Jesuit Refugee Service.  Our team is providing insights, advising on communication strategies and helping to develop tools and resources around issues of difference, diversity and division relevant to French Catholics.  We have conducted training programs, co-created a messaging guidebook and helped with their volunteer engagement strategies. This builds on a study jointly published in 2018, Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Migrants Among French Catholics.

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We are also working in partnership with La Fête des Voisins (the Neighbors’ Party), a national event which brings together around nine million people in France each year. This partnership has involved testing different ways to connect strangers together on the ground. Our test of different approaches found that a 'Neighborhood Bingo (‘Bingo des Voisins’) was the most effective tool to connect strangers at neighborhood events, and as a result in May 2019 some 300,000 community facilitators were given 'Neighborhood Bingo kits in their community organizing package. More than four in every five participants surveyed who used the kit reported that it helped them get to know others better.

We also organize training workshops to help French civil society organizations in how they communicate with broader audiences in the ‘conflicted middle’ groups. To date we have trained over 50 French organizations ranging from campaigning groups to unions, from media organization to faith groups. 

Research in France

Finding France : Can the environment reunite France?

Destin Commun (More in Common France) published a report on how on how people in France perceive the environment. We find that (68%) see the environmental as an issue that can bring people together across lines of divisions. There is no significant eco-sceptic segment in France. Three out of four people think a transition to a greener economy is an opportunity to create new jobs - reaching a majority in all segments. Concern for the environment cuts across age, education and employment levels. We also find that the environmental movement needs to be more open and inclusive. 

READ THE REPORT IN FRENCH

READ THE REPORT IN ENGLISH

Finding France : A people in search of their own country

This report presents findings from a uniquely wide-ranging survey of French society and democracy. It was conducted in partnership with Kantar on a national representative sample of 6,000 people in March and December 2019 as well as twelve focus groups all over France.

It provides fresh insights into the deep-seated fractures that exist within French society – and also points towards opportunities for healing those divisions. Our methodology suggests that the fragmentation of French society can be explained by looking at profoundly held core beliefs and value systems.

Out now
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Attitudes Towards Refugees, Immigrants, and Identity in France

Beyond refugee and immigration policies, a wider anxiety about the notion of ‘otherness’ persists in France, partially resulting from a widely shared perception that France has not integrated immigrants successfully.

Download the full report now
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Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Migrants Among French Catholics

French Catholics make up 53% of the total French population. Their attitudes on refugees and immigration contrast in several important ways with that of the French population overall.

Download the report now

More in Common France is registered as a French non profit (Association de Loi 1901), with a team based in Paris.