Tufts – Feinstein International Center

Sometimes a group of people within a community exist somewhat separately. A clique is a subset of people within a larger group that has intense interaction within the subset but less interaction with people in the larger group. Within a clique, information passes quickly and often influences behavior strongly. However, messages from outside a clique or activities conducted in the wider community may not reach clique members. This brief uses the example of a real clique in a Budikadidi village to demonstrate how cliques limit the impact of programs dependent on self-selecting groups. The brief then highlights potential opportunities to improve impact by harnessing the rapid flow of information and influence within cliques.