Study on diversity finds more animosity between faiths than races
Woolf Institute's survey found being Muslim remained a 'trigger' for prejudice, with followers more likely than Jews to be the only representative of their faith in a workplace
A major study on religious diversity in the UK has proved the need for interfaith work after finding more animosity between people of different religions than between people of different ethnicities or races.
The findings were revealed in a report for the Cambridge-based Woolf Institute titled ‘How We Get Along: The Diversity Study for England and Wales 2020’, which was published on Monday.
Surveying 11,000 adults, researchers found being Muslims remained a “trigger” for prejudice, with Muslims far more likely that Jews, Hindus and Sikhs to be the only representative of their faith in a workplace.
Dr Ed Kessler, the institute’s founding director and principle investigator, said: “Muslims are the most targeted in terms of prejudice and also the group that most religious groups felt most uncomfortable about a close relative marrying.”
The study found “little evidence supporting stereotypes that Jewish and Muslim people only mix with their own” – slaying a popular myth – but said non-Muslims were more likely to work with one another. One in five Jewish people work with at least one other Jew, whereas only one in eight Muslims can say the same.
Despite a plethora of interfaith initiatives in recent years, religion is still “a final frontier for prejudice”, say the authors, and “a greater driver of personal prejudice in England and Wales than racism and xenophobia”.
In a note of caution, they said that working from home during the coronavirus lockdowns “threatens to compound the issue”, but added that there was some good news, in terms of people’s thoughts about diversity.
Three times as many people agreed that ethnic diversity is good for Britain than disagreed, with a correspondingly positive view of migrants, but less people thought religious plurality was a good thing – as few as four in ten.
In what the authors described as a “key finding” the report also showed that while almost three-quarters of people would feel comfortable with a relative marrying an Asian or Black person, less than half said the same about someone from Pakistan.
Investigator Dr Julian Hargreaves said: “The good news is that there is a strong consensus in our findings that diversity is good for our country… However, of these three forms of diversity, acceptance of religious diversity lags significantly behind.”
Kessler said homeworking risked “people go back into isolated silos… Creating new opportunities for friendships should be a key ingredient of public policy”.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
