Religious Prejudice Research Articles

ОХРАНА МАТЕРИНСТВА И ДЕТСТВА В ДЕМОГРАФИЧЕСКОЙ ПОЛИТИКЕ СОВЕТСКОЙ ВЛАСТИ В ГОРНОМ АЛТАЕ

The paper highlights the formation and further development of the system of maternity and childhood protection as one of the most important spheres of the Soviet healthcare in 1920s–30s. The field of child protection in the in Gorny Altai was in particular need of expanding the forms and methods of work, since child mortality rates at the beginning of the 20s were quite high. There was no specialized work on the protection of motherhood and childhood; there were no trained personnel. The development of diseases, and consequently mortality, was facilitated by unfavorable living conditions of the local population, lack of hygienic culture and regular movements of the population throughout the region. The solution to this problem was facilitated by the introduction of Soviet legislation on labor protection for pregnant and lactating women and their children. Since the mid-20s, commissions to promote the protection of motherhood and childhood were formed in the region, which carried out active educational and organizational work. The organization of mobile institutions for the protection of motherhood and childhood played a great role in solving the problem. In addition to a few stationary consultations, mobile institutions assumed the responsibility of providing assistance to the population of the region leading a nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle. In large population centers, the consultation stopped for more than a month, conducting surveys and providing ongoing assistance in remote areas of the mountainous terrain. Along with providing medical care, mobile consultation workers provided explanations about religious prejudices and superstitions. The data presented show the features of the formation of stationary institutions, the development of mobile services for mother and child care in the Oirot Autonomous Region. A positive result was a decrease in child and maternal mortality and an improvement in demographic indicators in the country.

THE RELEVANCE OF INTERSECTIONALITY IN GENDER STUDIES IN INDIA

Intersectionality is an analytical framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of various social identities, such as gender, race, class, caste, religion, and geography, and how these intersecting identities shape experiences of oppression and privilege. The intersectionality framework enables us to recognize social positions affected by multiple layers of adversity, as well as to pinpoint where privilege intersects. This approach helps us understand the complexities of social inequality and how various forms of oppression intersect with one another. By applying an intersectional lens to gender studies in India, we can better understand the interconnectedness of systems of oppression and discrimination that affect women's lives sone scholars have argued for a broader appreciation of the 3ways in which intersectionality can play out which include additive, multiplication and intersectional conceptualization. For e.g.: a women of a certain caste has the burden if the disadvantage of both her gender and her caste while the man of the same caste has similar caste experience but does not face the same gender-related challenges. This is an instance of the additive conceptualization intersectionality which resonates with scholars due the simplicity of deductions. But in policy making and specially dealing with the gender violence in India, it is important to employ an intersectional framework that recognizes the complex nature of discrimination and oppression faced by women from different social backgrounds. A rigid focus solely on gender without considering intersecting factors such as caste, class, religion, and geography can lead to limited understanding and ineffective solutions. Additionally lived experience of people on the intersection of various social disadvantages brings to light a more complex reality where instead of additive effect, disadvantages have a multiplication effect and privileges are deducted on the various rungs of social strata which may be further affected by gender. Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize that gender violence in India is not solely a result of gender discrimination or sexism, but also stems from other forms of discrimination such as caste-based violence, class inequalities, religious prejudices, and regional disparities.

Male and Female Circumcision or Genital Mutilation in Men and Women

Circumcision is the surgical removal of a large section of the male genitalia or the cutting, usually non-surgical, of a large section of the female genitalia. Male and female circumcision implies aggression to the genitals of minors of both sexes, whether due to tradition, social pressures, religious prejudices or business, causing unnecessary damage to the organism of children such as intense pain, fear, bleeding, infection, deformations, sexual dysfunctions, infertility, necrosis, shock, gangrene or death. This vicious cycle must stop worldwide

Discriminatory, yet socially accepted? Targets’ perceptions of subtle and blatant expressions of ethno-racial prejudice

IntroductionExtant research has studied prejudice expressions mainly from the majority perspective. We examined whether prejudice expressions conceptualized as subtle (vs. blatant) are perceived differently by their targets.MethodsParticipants who self-identified as potential targets of ethno-racial or religious prejudice (e.g., anti-Muslim, anti-Asian, anti-Arab, anti-Slavic, and anti-Black prejudice), answered questions about verbal expressions of prejudice taken from the subtle and blatant prejudice scales in an online survey.ResultsItems of the subtle (vs. blatant) prejudice scale were rated as more socially accepted and less discriminatory, elicited less negative emotions, and were reported to be experienced more often. Subtle expressions of prejudice were not more familiar to participants than blatant ones. Remarkably, blatant prejudice expressions were also perceived as relatively socially accepted and subtle prejudices as relatively discriminatory, as indicated by mean ratings above the scale midpoint. Lower discrimination ratings of subtle (vs. blatant) prejudice expressions were mainly due to perceptions of expressions exaggerating cultural differences. Exploratory analyses indicate that participants who reported more (vs. less) frequent overall exposure to the prejudice expressions perceived subtle and blatant stimuli as similarly discriminatory. This finding is compatible with the idea that individuals factor their personal experiences with prejudice into their assessments of discrimination.DiscussionWe discuss implications for interventions, especially regarding the social acceptability of blatant prejudice and promoting awareness of the discriminatory impact of subtle prejudice.

Women's Struggles in Afganistan

This article begins with the current situation of women in Afghanistan and their resistance against the complete takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021. It reviews the ways in which prior Afghan governments, various imperialist occupations, wars between religious fundamentalist forces, sexism and prejudices within the Afghan Left and progressives have made it impossible to develop a coherent and persistent women's movement.

Cultural Threat, Outgroup Discrimination, and Attitudes toward Transgender Rights

Abstract Scholars often highlight the roles that group threat and intergroup solidarity play in shaping attitudes toward outgroups. Competition among social groups, including over values and culture, can underlie negative attitudes toward outgroups. Meanwhile, perceptions of discrimination against outgroups can drive feelings of solidarity, sympathy, or empathy, which may foster more positive attitudes. These social identity concepts are often studied in the context of racial, ethnic, and religious prejudice, with less attention to how they apply to attitudes toward transgender and gender diverse people. Using a 2022 national survey, we assess how respondents’ perceptions of cultural threat from the LGBTQ community and perceptions of discrimination among a range of outgroups are related to attitudes about transgender rights policies, including access to public restrooms, participation in school sports, and medical transition care. We find that cultural threat is consistently associated with support for policies that restrict the rights of transgender people, but perceived outgroup discrimination tends not to show a significant relationship with these attitudes.

Inter-Multidisciplinary Islamic Scholarship: Contributions to Tolerance and Intercultural Harmony

A broad and deep understanding of Islam in the contemporary context has become increasingly important for promoting tolerance and intercultural harmony around the world. One of the emerging approaches in Islamic studies is inter/multidisciplinary scholarship, which allows the integration of various disciplines to explore this aspect of the religion holistically. This paper discusses the contribution of inter/multidisciplinary Islamic scholarship in strengthening tolerance and intercultural harmony. This approach helps individuals understand Islam in a broader framework, reduce religious prejudice, and promote constructive intercultural dialog. Through these studies, we can better embrace religious diversity and work towards a more inclusive and just society. In addition, inter/multidisciplinary Islamic scholarship has the potential to advance the understanding of how Islam contributes to global peace and the resolution of contemporary issues. In an increasingly connected world, understanding the religion with a holistic approach is an important step in creating a more tolerant and harmonious society.

Shimjeong and the Dedogmatization from Religious Prejudices in a Global World

Shimjeong and the Dedogmatization from Religious Prejudices in a Global World

The Effect of Religious Conflicts on Nigerian Economy: The Way Forward.

This study looks at how disputes sparked by religious convictions affect Nigeria’s economic growth. It draws attention to the reality that religion plays a significant role in Nigeria, where Christianity and Islam are the two most popular faiths. This study looks at the effects of religiously motivated conflicts on Nigerian economic development. It underlines the significance of faith or religion n Nigeria, Christianity and Islam are the predominant religions. It contends that, while each of these religions preaches peace, differences over practice among believers are a permanent feature of national life, threatening peace and progress and depriving Nigeria of the necessary economic development. The paper employed descriptive analysis and a library research methodology. It observes that Nigeria is a secular state, thus religious influence is unnecessary. The research finds that long-term growth is only conceivable if the underlying causes of religious conflict, which are often driven by religious prejudice, are addressed. It observes that secularism’s deemphasis has resulted in religion having an undue impact on the nation; thus, it proposes focusing less on religion to reduce disputes. To reduce violence, it also encourages religious harmony through conversation, as well as an emphasis on human rights and the constitutional right to worship freely.

Validation of the General Evaluation Scale for Measuring Ethnic and Religious Prejudice in an Indonesian Sample

The General Evaluation Scale (GES) has been widely employed to assess attitudes toward outgroups, including ethnic and religious prejudice. However, validation within the Indonesian context has not been conducted. Using two studies (Study 1, religious prejudice; Study 2, ethnic prejudice), we provide evidence of psychometric properties of a six-item GES for measuring ethnic and religious prejudice based on factor structure, composite reliability, and convergent validity in Indonesia. The results demonstrate an acceptable model fit for a single-factor structure characterized by high internal consistency (McDonald’s Omega/ω = 0.93 in Study 1, ω = 0.94 in Study 2). Furthermore, the scale exhibits solid convergent validity, as evidenced by its correlations with the blatant and subtle prejudice scale (r = −0.44 in Study 1, r = −0.74 in Study 2) and the feeling thermometer scale (r = 0.60 in Study 1, r = 0.78 in Study 2). In summary, this research unequivocally establishes the GES as a valuable instrument for measuring religious and ethnic prejudice in the Indonesian context, underpinned by its robust psychometric properties. Nevertheless, it underscores the need for further investigations with diverse samples and varying social contexts to bolster the scale’s reliability and applicability.

True Faith and Philosophy as a Way to Overcome Religious Prejudices according to 1st and 2nd Century Christian Sources

The authors explore religious prejudices in early Christianity, Judaism, and paganism using 1st and 2nd-century sources. During that era, ethnic and religious biases affected various societal levels. The first section examines biases among Gentiles and Christians toward Jews, followed by biases between Gentiles and Jews toward Christians, and the prejudices of Christians and Jews toward Gentiles. The second section delves into prejudices between Christians and Jews, focusing on how society reacted to Christians’ distinctiveness from Jews, hindering their integration due to pagan religiosity. In response, Christians presented their faith as a bridge, emphasizing its universality for all people, not solely for the Jewish community. They offered a pathway for communion and reconciliation, asserting the superiority and broader interpretative nature of Christian faith over Judaism. Jesus Christ’s life, St. Paul’s teachings, and events from the Acts of the Apostles affirmed the faith’s universal significance. The third section centers on ‘barbarian philosophy’ as an attempt to unify Christians and pagans amid growing societal tensions in the 2nd century. Christian apologists, once pagan philosophers, aimed to alleviate prejudices by aligning their received faith with their society, employing ‘barbarian philosophy.’ This approach viewed Christianity through rationality, rooted in the universal divine Logos, appealing to all people as the creator and advocate.

Objective and subjective difficulties in returning to the country of origin in case of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, under the prism of different periods of time

Integration and social inclusion policy appear to face various difficulties, in case of migrants, refugees, other forcibly displaced persons. It usually depends on various social, national, cultural and religious biases, prejudices, personal or interpersonal limitations that are shared either in the frame of receiving society or in one of the refuge seekers. Moreover, because of aforementioned features the integration policy works either properly and successfully or fails. Therefore, we can see brilliantly integrated individuals, who restore their level of personal, financial and social independence even while being a refugee and ones, who suffer from not being able to do this even after a long period of time. Anyway, the refuge seekers are legally treated as individuals, who will potentially stay on the territory of the receiving country during a limited period of time (thus, the necessary time, until the optimal conditions of well-being and welfare in their country of origin will not be properly restored). However, as the time passes by, the primary desire to be back home and reintegrate to the primary society decreases until the full elimination. And this tendency appear not be anyhow dependent both on difficulties that the refuge seekers face during integration and social inclusion periods and other factors as well. In our current research we have postulated objective and subjective difficulties of the fact, why the tendency of returning to the home land decreases with the time, and how the integration policy shall be changed to allow the most optimal level of social inclusion of new comers who potentially will become permanent foreign nationals staying abroad.

Layers of Veils Obscuring the Image of Tahirih Qurrat al-ʿAyn

Abstract This paper deconstructs the ways the image of Fāṭima Zarrīn-Tāj Baraghānī, known as Tahirih Qurrat al-ʿAyn (d. 1852), has been distorted in academic works and in anti-Bahā’ī polemics. The misrepresentations of Tahirih in these works range from disconnecting her from the source of her inspiration, to accusations of immorality, to denying her knowledge, to denying her poetry, to depicting her as a militant figure. It is suggested that misogyny, religious prejudice, selective as well as uncritical use of primary sources, and agenda driven scholarship explain the misrepresentations.

Tayeb Salih's Season of Migration to the North: Investigating Stereotypes and the Dehumanizing Effects of Colonialism

Long before colonialism emerged as an imperial project, cultural stereotypes and myths have fed the Western discourse about the Orient. Even during the medieval ages and Renaissance period, the discourse about Muslims and Islam was deeply informed of the distorted images, fabricated views, and overgeneralizations rooted in racial and religious prejudices. These myths were popularized through European art and literature to construct a particular narrative later used to legitimize the imperial designs and economic control of the native people. The research views this dehumanization of people and the vicious cycle of psychological trauma as a direct result of colonial enterprises by imperial forces. Using anti-colonial theories and postcolonialism as a framework of the study and building on the works of anticolonial theorists like Fanon, Memmi, and Césaire, the research seeks to investigate how these dehumanized images form the core of imperial designs and how colonialism dehumanizes people, distorts perspectives, engenders alienation and perpetuates a cycle of psychological violence across cultures and regions.

Eliminate Religious Prejudice in Islamic Education Through Religious Pluralism Based on Al-Qur’an

Religious prejudice adorns socio-religious problems in Indonesia, including on public university campuses. Some student activists of Islam are aggressive in voicing minority groups (non-Muslim, Shi'a, and Ahmadiyya) as infidels. Their defenders of Muslim clerics and scholars became targets of bullying. The accusations of the Jewish and Shi'a agents were so easy for them to pronounce. Their negative prejudices, Christian/Hindu, are pagan because they have three Gods. Shi'a is the agent of the Jews. Shi'a, the cult of Ali, glorifies the Imams more than the Prophet and disbelieves in the Prophet's companions. Ahmadiyya is non Muslim. Yet, their accusations have no basis. The research aims to eliminate religious prejudice against students in teaching Islamic religious education (PAI) through a pluralism-Qur’ani— quasi-experimental approach. The research instrument is an inventory of 30 items of religious discrimination. The research respondents were 200 students: 100 were in the intervention class, and 100 were in the non-intervention class—data analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 24. The research on the pluralism-Qur’ani approach proved effective in eliminating student religious prejudice. Before college, half of the students had negative prejudices against minority religions/madhhab. However, after the lecture, their negative bias disappeared. They say that among non-Muslims, some believe and deserve to go to Heaven. Shi'a is the same as Sunni, and the same is Muslim. Ahmadiyya is still a Muslim. They also say that religious minorities have the right to develop their beliefs in Indonesia. The implication is that the Qur’an-based spiritual pluralism approach must be implemented in university PAI lectures.

Identity Crisis: Alienation and Religious Demarcation in Bhisham Sahni’s Pali

Bhisham Sahni's "Pali" the novel, delves into the devastating fallout of the Indian-Pakistani split and emphasizes the severe suffering brought on by religious enmity. Pali the protagonist of the novel a representative of solitude and melancholy, moves through a range of feelings, from solitary to identity-crisis. This research highlights the wider impact of religious prejudice and parallels the suffering of individuals caught in the crossfire. The narrative, which is linked with contemporary partition literature, reveals common trauma and its lingering effects. Pali's anguish highlights the universal narrative of suffering and reveals the pervasive effects of hatred. Despite Sahni's efforts to link experience and understanding, some agonies are still indescribable. The anguish that Pali, the main character, endured resides imprisoned, scorched too deeply for words. The book serves as a conduit for these profound effects, reflecting inexpressible sentiments. Pali encapsulates generational trauma, testifying to the religious enmity that birthed the India-Pakistan division. Pali's journey unfolds into a tapestry of emotions, revealing identity's complexity, coexistence's fragility, and prejudice's destructiveness. Sahni's work transcends his works portraying humanity's spirit, historical shadows, and a call for harmony amidst discord. This research revitalizes "Pali," its resonance reaching those seeking to comprehend the past and shape an inclusive, empathetic future.

Pemahaman terhadap Diskriminasi Agama: Menyoroti Faktor yang Memengaruhi

Cases of religious discrimination in Rohingya receive serious attention regarding protecting human rights in freedom of belief. Indonesia, as a multicultural country, faces challenges in maintaining the principles of equality and respect for religious freedom. This article exists to understand the psychological factors behind discrimination, including stereotypes, prejudice, social identity, conformity, and personal experiences. All of these factors interact with each other and can trigger discriminatory behavior that is detrimental and destroys religious diversity in society. This study uses a literature review method where the author will collect and analyze data from 4 journals and 1 news item regarding religious discrimination over the last five years. The results of literature studies show that the factors that cause religious discrimination can originate from stereotypes formed from negative views and assumptions, religious prejudice that underlies the assessment and treatment of a person's religious beliefs, and social interactions that influence behavior toward other religions. This research plays an important role in developing policies and education that will involve various parties in efforts to face the challenges of religious discrimination holistically in Indonesia. AbstrakKasus diskriminasi agama di Rohingya mendapatkan perhatian yang serius terkait perlindungan hak asasi manusia dalam kebebasan memeluk keyakinan. Indonesia sebagai negara multikultural menghadapi tantangan dalam mempertahankan prinsip kesetaraan dan penghormatan terhadap kebebasan beragama. Artikel ini ada untuk memahami faktor psikologis di balik diskriminasi termasuk stereotip, prasangka, identitas sosial, konformitas, dan pengalaman pribadi. Semua faktor ini saling berinteraksi dan dapat memicu perilaku diskriminatif yang merugikan dan merusak keragaman agama dalam masyarakat. Studi ini menggunakan metode tinjauan literatur dimana penulis akan mengumpulkan dan menganalisis data dari 4 jurnal dan 1 berita mengenai diskriminasi agama selama lima tahun terakhir. Hasil studi literatur menunjukkan bahwa faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan terjadinya diskriminasi agama dapat berasal dari stereotip yang terbentuk dari pandangan dan asumsi negatif, prasangka agama yang mendasari penilaian dan perlakuan terhadap keyakinan agama seseorang, serta interaksi sosial yang memengaruhi perilaku terhadap agama lain. Penelitian ini berperan penting dalam pengembangan kebijakan dan edukasi yang akan melibatkan berbagai pihak dalam upaya menghadapi tantangan diskriminasi agama secara holistik di Indonesia.

Islam in Alanya-Ossetia: the Main Stages of History

Islam has been known to the Alans-Ossetians since the times of the Islamic Caliphate. In the second half of the 13th century Sunni Islam became the religion of part of the urban population of Alania. Ossetian religious minority is the earliest Islamic community in the Central Caucasus. Lexical borrowings, having become an integral part of the folklife culture, are referred to the early period of the insight into the Islamic terminology. In the 15 – 17th centuries Islam was common among the nobles of the northern communities of mountain Alania-Ossetia, but by the end of the 18th century Islamization covered part of the middle class. Along with the annexation to Russia the politico-ideological significance of Islam increased, the authorities took into consideration the religious side of the social, economic and political decisions. In the first half of the 19th century the number of Ossetian Muslims of all social classes was steadily growing. On the background of the Caucasian War, different kinds of social protest and political oppositionism were incarnated into Islamic ideological shape. At the time of maximum spread of Islam in Ossetia the Muslim minority did not exceed 15 per cent of the population. In the middle of the 19th century during land survey of flat land separate settlement of Christians and Muslims took place. In response to the land reform the opposition nobles spearheaded the movement of Muhadjirun, who emigrated to the territory of the Ottoman Empire (their overall number did not exceed 4–5 thousand people). In the second half of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century there functioned two dozens of mosques, the number of people who received Islamic education was steadily growing, as well as the number of pilgrims who carried out Hajj. Presence of its own Muslim minority estranged the Ossetian culture of the New Time from religious prejudices. Ossetian Muslims played a significant role in all-Russian Muslim movement. Nowadays in North Ossetia there function Muslim communities, old mosques are reconstructed along with the construction of new ones, dozens of young people take training in secondary and higher Islamic educational institutions.

Should sex education in the Philippines remain taboo?

Sex education is an important topic that is relevant in everyday life activities. However, due to its rare and sensitive connotation, this topic remains to be taboo in the Philippines. With the country having high devotion to Christianity, conversations about sex, sexuality, and sex education are considered inappropriate and sinful. This paper narrates the overview and reflections on a webinar program of occupational therapy students in Pampanga about the relevance of sex education in the youth, school, the occupational therapy profession, and the community. Sex education was discussed in a way that is not limited to sexual intercourse but covered how individual views and expresses themselves through their sexuality. Challenges such as providing sexuality education among children and youth should be provided to decrease teenage pregnancy and sex-related diseases. Schools, families, healthcare institutions, and communities should also be open about sex education to reduce experiences of negative mental health outcomes due to religious prejudice and biases and help the young generation to have lifelong healthy decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

PHILOSOPHY OF LAUGHTER: THE SEARCH FOR A NEW PARADIGM

The article examines problems that have long been an obstacle to the creation of the philosophy of laughter as a separate problem field. The first obstacle: rationalism and rationalistic supremacy in relation to everything sensual, irrational, spontaneous. The only thing that reconciled rationalists with the phenomenon of laughter was the concept of its indirect utility. The second obstacle lies in the general orientation of philosophy towards moralism, which prevailed until the time of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Philosophers voluntarily or involuntarily "pull" the facts under the conclusion that seems morally justified to them. The third obstacle to the development of the philosophy of laughter remained for a long time the religious prejudice that laughing is sinful. It is interesting that religious philosophers such as E. E. Shaftesbury, J. G. Haman, and S. Kierkegaard questioned this thesis, thus starting the history of systematic philosophical study of laughter. The fourth reason, which was an obstacle to the development of the philosophy of laughter, we see in the ambition of philosophers, each of whom magnified his own theory, rejecting the theories of other thinkers. For example, Schopenhauer a priori rejected the Kantian understanding of laughter, referring it to this kind of “mistakes” that are not worth proving. The fifth reason that inhibited the development of the theory of laughter is the abstraction of most philosophers from the variety of real “laughter” in favour of some generalized “laughter in general”, which, in fact, does not exist. On the basis of postmodern practices of intertextuality and deconstruction, mutual complementarity and practically equal value of various approaches to explaining the phenomenon of laughter are demonstrated. Postmodern (and metamodern) methodologies allow combining different paradigms of the theoretical understanding of laughter, which do not contradict, but complement each other. At the same time, the collective discourse of the philosophy of laughter does not act as an eclecticism of different views and approaches, but as a harmonious polylogue of philosophical traditions. Due to the inexhaustibility of the object and the subject of research, as well as the need to rethink many cultural phenomena (in particular, clarification of the place of laughter practices in the culture of Ukraine in different historical periods), significant prospects for further research arise.