Developing Strategies and Consequences of Ethnic- Cultural Empathy in Virtual Social Networks with a National Cohesion Approach and Achieving Social Health: A Qualitative Study (Content Analysis)

Existence of consensus, empathy, convergence and social acceptance among ethnic groups is one of the ways to achieve social health and national cohesion in the multi-ethnic society of Iran. The aim of this study was to develop strategies and consequences of ethnic-cultural empathy in virtual social networks with the approach of national cohesion and achieving social health.

The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach. The sample of the study was 32 experts and the criterion for selecting the experts was to have knowledge and awareness of the literature on the subject and also to have aristocracy over the community to observe the central phenomenon of research, which were selected purposefully and snowballs. Interviews were used using open and semi-structured questions to collect data. After reaching theoretical saturation, the data were analyzed by conventional content analysis method.

By coding and analyzing the content of semi-structured interviews with experts, 159 open codes were extracted and after aggregating the codes, 47 subcategories and 17 categories in the form of two main themes were identified as "strategies" and "consequences".

The results indicate that according to the strategies and extractive consequences of the research, national solidarity and ethnic and cultural harmony will be established and positive participation will be strengthened by participation and facilitation in the implementation of the presented strategies. It is suggested that policymakers use these strategies to achieve national cohesion and social health of the country.