The relationship between religion and racism: the evidence

#religion

Religion and racism are topics often discussed together. Newspapers regularly make headlines based on misrepresented data, most recently regarding British Muslims – a religious group that is often the target of both blatant racism and of more subtle forms of racial profiling. But Stefanie Doebler explains that rigorous use of surveys shows that religion does not facilitate racist attitudes; poverty and low education are some of the factors that do.

The relationship between religion and racism is a complex topic, and research has yielded varying findings. Here are some key insights:

1. European Context:

• Rigorous surveys show that religion itself does not facilitate racist attitudes. Instead, factors like low education, socio-economic deprivation, older age, and insecurity play a more significant role in explaining racist attitudes.

• Belief in God (whether personal or as a Spirit/Life Force) is negatively correlated with racism.

1. United States:

• A meta-analysis of 55 independent studies in the US found that members of religious congregations tend to harbor prejudiced views of other races.

1. Religious Intolerance:

• Surveys suggest that religious intolerance (e.g., antisemitism and Islamophobia) may be one of the last prejudices people express openly, even more so than ethnicity or nationality.

1. Workplace Implications:

• Religion can impact racial hierarchies and equity efforts in the workplace, including producing epistemologies of ignorance and supporting feelings of White victimhood.