Religion and belief, discrimination and equality in England and wales religion and belief, discrimination and equality in England and Wales: interim findings and emergent themes

Abstract

Issues around discrimination and equality in religion or belief are sensitive and highly contested, involving freedom of conscience and speech; religious activity in community and public life; employer and service provider responsibilities. They connect with understandings of religion, social policy and the law. Put alongside issues of gender and sexual orientation, there has often been tension and conflict. The “Religion and Belief, Discrimination and Equality in England and Wales: Theory, Policy and Practice (2000-2010)” research project is in its final year. It aims to be a benchmark study, including comparison with results of 1999-2001 research on “Religious Discrimination in England in Wales”. The completed research includes a national questionnaire survey of religious organisations and fieldwork among religious, public, private and voluntary sector groups (including focus groups with the “non-religious”). Review of legal cases and policy developments continues while a review on religious discrimination evidence was published in 2011 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_73_religious_discrimination.pdf). At the conference it will be possible to present some provisional findings and emergent themes which will then be tested further during Autumn 2012 in a series of Knowledge Exchange Workshops with practitioners from the public, private, voluntary, religion and belief, and legal sectors.