We all belong to tribes, whether we recognise them or not.

Some are inherited. Our families, cultural backgrounds, hometowns and communities shape who we are before we have much say in the matter.

Others are chosen. The football team we support, the music we listen to, the causes we believe in, the hobbies we pursue or the people we connect with online.

These tribes give us something fundamental: a sense of identity, recognition and belonging.

The idea of tribes is hardly new. Humans have always formed groups around shared values, beliefs, experiences and interests. Social Identity Theory, developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, suggests that part of our sense of self comes from the groups to which we belong. We don’t simply see ourselves as individuals; we also understand who we are through our relationships with others.

What has changed is the number of tribes available to us, the ways we find them and the strength of our connections.

In an increasingly connected yet fragmented society, belonging is becoming less about fitting into a single community and more about finding the different places where we feel understood.

So, how are our tribes changing, and what does this mean for people, government, places and brands?

Patterns: We belong to more tribes than ever

Australia’s identity is becoming increasingly diverse, layered and interconnected.

According to the 2021 Census, 27.6% of Australians were born overseas, while 48.2% had at least one parent born overseas.

This diversity creates an extraordinary range of communities, identities, traditions and cultural connections.

But tribes are not defined by ethnicity or heritage alone. They form around sport, music, gaming, fitness, professions, political causes, fandoms and shared experiences. A person might simultaneously identify as a South Australian, a parent, a Port Adelaide supporter, a runner and a member of an online gaming community.

The Scanlon Foundation’s 2025 Mapping Social Cohesion report found that 54% of Australians participate in some form of social, religious, civic or political group. These communities provide opportunities for recognition, participation and connection.

Our tribes also extend beyond physical places. Digital platforms allow people to find communities built around highly specific interests, regardless of geography. Someone who feels different in their local community may discover thousands of people elsewhere who share their passions, values or experiences.

The pattern is one of increasingly layered belonging. Rather than relying on one dominant identity, we construct a sense of self through multiple overlapping communities.

The emerging pattern: Belonging is becoming more personal, diverse and interest-driven, with people moving between different tribes depending on their identities, interests and life stages.

Tensions: Belonging brings us together, but can also pull us apart

Tribes fulfil a fundamental human need, but they also create boundaries.

When we identify strongly with one group, we can become more conscious of those who sit outside it. The same shared identity that generates loyalty, solidarity and connection can also encourage exclusion, stereotyping and division.

This tension is particularly evident in contemporary Australian society.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that Australia’s sense of belonging index declined from 88 in 2020 to 77 in 2024. While social cohesion has remained relatively stable more recently, the longer-term decline suggests that strong connections within individual communities do not necessarily translate into a stronger sense of belonging to society overall.

There is also a difference between being connected and feeling connected. According to AIHW analysis of HILDA data, 15% of Australians experienced loneliness in 2024, despite the growing number of digital platforms and communities available to them.

Online communities can create extraordinary opportunities for connection, particularly for people who feel marginalised or misunderstood. Yet algorithms can also reinforce existing beliefs, bringing us closer to people who think like us while reducing exposure to different perspectives.

There is a further tension between belonging and individuality. We want to be accepted by our tribes, but we also want to retain what makes us distinctive. Belonging sometimes comes with expectations about how we should behave, what we should believe or which brands and symbols we should embrace.

The central tension: The communities that help us feel seen can also create boundaries around who belongs, what is acceptable and how we understand those outside our group.

Shifts: From inherited communities to chosen connections

Perhaps the most significant shift is that belonging is becoming less dependent on where we were born or where we live, and more influenced by the communities we actively choose.

Historically, geography, religion, occupation and family networks played a dominant role in determining our social circles. These connections remain important, but people now have greater opportunities to seek out communities that reflect their interests and values.

This doesn’t mean physical communities are disappearing.

The Scanlon Foundation’s 2025 research found that people living in cohesive neighbourhoods were 65% more likely to report a great sense of belonging in Australia. Local participation and neighbourhood relationships remain powerful foundations for wider social connection.
The Scanlon Foundation Research Institute

Sport illustrates the continuing importance of shared physical experiences. Australian Government figures indicate that more than 2.7 million adults volunteer in sport or physical activity, helping sustain the clubs, teams and local networks that connect communities.

The opportunity may therefore lie in combining the reach of digital communities with the depth of real-world relationships.

We are also seeing belonging become more fluid. People may move between tribes as their careers, family circumstances, interests and values evolve. A community that feels central to our identity at 20 may become less important at 40, replaced by new connections that reflect a different stage of life.

The emerging shift: Belonging is moving from something largely inherited towards something increasingly chosen, negotiated and continually renewed.

Our tribes are becoming more diverse, more fluid and easier to find. Yet the fundamental human need behind them remains unchanged: we want to be recognised, accepted and connected to something beyond ourselves.

The opportunity for people, governments, places and brands is not simply to create stronger individual communities, but to encourage connections between them.

Because while tribes help us understand who we are, the strength of society may ultimately depend on how well we connect with people beyond our own tribe.

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed method explorations of people and culture beyond the category,  uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration. If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture, let’s start a conversation >