Inter-Group Religious Dialogue Between Muslims and Christians and Its Effect on Social Cohesion in Plateau State

This study analyses the impact of structured inter-group religious dialogue initiatives between Muslim and Christian communities on social cohesion indicators in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Plateau State has been marked by recurring ethno-religious violence, and dialogue initiatives sponsored by governmental and non-governmental organisations have sought to address the underlying social fractures. The study employs a mixed-methods design, combining a survey administered to 400 Muslim and Christian community members in Jos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom with qualitative interviews from 30 dialogue participants and 15 dialogue facilitators. Social cohesion is operationalised across trust, cooperation, and shared identity dimensions. Data are analysed using propensity score matching, ANOVA, and thematic analysis. Findings demonstrate that structured dialogue significantly improves inter-group trust and willingness to cooperate economically among participants compared to non-participants. However, gains in shared identity are modest and context-dependent, with dialogue effects diminishing in areas that experienced recent violence. The study identifies the quality of dialogue facilitation and institutional follow-through as critical moderating variables. Recommendations include investment in professional inter-religious dialogue facilitation training, longitudinal dialogue programming with community accountability mechanisms, and integration of inter-religious dialogue competencies into Islamic Studies teacher education programmes. Keywords: inter-religious dialogue, social cohesion, Muslims and Christians, Plateau State, peace-building.