Are group identities associated with pro- or anti-democratic orientations? We focus on the relationship between religious identity and genuine support for democracy, which refers to citizens’ endorsement of norms and procedures associated with democratic governance. We suggest that the effect of religious identity on genuine support for democracy is conditional on whether individuals belong to a minority religious tradition and the extent to which minority religions are treated differentially by the state. Using data from the World Values Surveys, we show that, while the strength of religious identity is associated with reduced genuine support for democracy, this negative effect is less pronounced for members of minority religious groups, especially when these groups face differential treatment by the state. We also find that members of minority religions are more committed to democratic norms than members of majority religions as their group identity becomes stronger and as their differential treatment by the state increases.

In response to several contemporary scholars who criticize human rights paradigms as inadequate or incompatible with Christian faith and practice, these reflections argue that rights should remain a part of Christian moral, legal, and political discourse, and that Christians should remain a part of pluralistic public debates about the appropriate scope and substance of human rights and religious freedom protections.

The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) also prohibits discrimination in employment based on a protected attribute such as ‘race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family or carer’s responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin’ (s 351(1)). The discrimination on the basis of religion may be permissible in faith-based non-government schools and is discussed further in this chapter.

This chapter offers a brief history of how religious freedom has been conceptualized in international human rights law and politics after 1945, starting with the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) Article 18 on the freedom of conscience, religion or belief, and ending with the aborted attempts in the 1960s to craft an international treaty on religious intolerance and discrimination. The chapter highlights how religious freedom over time became linked to a wider human rights discourse centered on combating different forms of structural injustice. It concludes with a set of critical reflections on recent attempts, including by the Donald J. Trump administration in the United States, to return to the “moral landscape” of the 1940s in order to salvage an allegedly natural right to religious freedom from the more comprehensive framework of human rights.

Outlines the supranational framework of treaties, conventions, protocols, etc. relating to religion and explains the limited remit of the accompanying judicial and regulatory bodies. Considers the importance of the freedoms of religion, expression and association, their tendency to become entangled and their significance for the state–church relationship. Explains that a broadly similar platform of human rights and equality provisions now exists in all modern developed nations. Discusses the levelling effect of such national provisions when applied in tandem with international convention requirements. Focuses on the related case law generated by issues arising on the church–state interface, identifying governing principles from judgments delivered by the ECJ and the ECtHR, and drawing attention in particular to principles such as "proportionality" and "necessary in a democratic society". It notes those judicial rulings that specifically uphold the state’s duty of neutrality and impartiality when dealing with religious matters and the state’s right to protect its traditional primary religion and cultural identity. It identifies and discusses problematic aspects of the role of the state as it intersects with religion, such as the funding of faith schools, and considers their destabilising consequences for civil society.

This chapter explores historical and current religious discrimination in language and its crossover with xenophobia and racism. We consider slurs, stereotypes, and demonization related to prejudice against various belief systems. The chapter looks at religions that are a minority (especially among immigrants) in the U.S., but with a focus on contemporary anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim prejudice (Islamophobia). Discrimination against Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and traditional religions is explored. We also consider the growing discrimination against non-theists (atheists), which is an often-overlooked area.