Societal fragility is a core concept within political science, development studies, and security studies that examines the inherent vulnerability and limited resilience of a society to internal and external shocks and stressors. It investigates the complex interplay of factors across economic, environmental, political, security, societal, and human dimensions that weaken state and societal capacities, hinder trust in institutions, and increase susceptibility to instability, conflict, and negative outcomes. Characterized by multifaceted weaknesses and a reduced ability to cope with risks, its significance lies in diagnosing systemic vulnerabilities, informing policy interventions aimed at building resilience, and identifying contexts prone to heightened risks like conflict or exploitation by non-state actors.