Discrimination
The word discriminate appeared in the English language during the early 17th century. It derives from the Latin verb discriminare, which means to distinguish between things. Before the American Civil War, this term functioned as a synonym for discernment or good taste. People spoke of having discrimination when they possessed refined judgment or cultural awareness. The phrase to discriminate against carried a negative connotation that was rare at that time.
A profound shift occurred after the American Civil War in the United States. The meaning evolved to describe prejudicial treatment based solely on race. This usage later generalized to include membership in any socially undesirable group or category. Modern moral philosophers define discrimination as acts that wrongfully impose disadvantage on persons based on their social group membership. An individual does not need actual harm to be discriminated against if they are treated worse than others for an arbitrary reason.
Consider a scenario where someone donates money to help orphan children but gives less to children of a particular race due to racist attitudes. They act in a discriminatory way even if those children still receive some financial benefit. This moralized definition stands distinct from non-moralized definitions where such actions might not inherently be considered wrong. The United Nations states that all forms of exclusion involve rejection and take many shapes.
Ageism represents one pervasive form of prejudice experienced by populations globally. A survey conducted by the University of Kent in England revealed that 29% of respondents had suffered from age discrimination. This figure exceeds the proportion reporting gender or racial discrimination. Joanna Lahey, a professor at Texas A&M University, found firms were more than 40% likely to interview young adults over older applicants. Researchers at Ghent University measured similar ratios in Belgium regarding labor market outcomes.
Caste discrimination affects an estimated 250 million people worldwide according to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch. India alone contains 200 million Dalits or Scheduled Castes who face systemic barriers. These individuals historically known as untouchables remain marginalized within society. Roma communities suffer mass genocide, sterilization, and enslavement throughout history. Rohingya people constitute the world's most discriminated ethnic group with 600,000 forced into refugee status in Bangladesh due to institutionalized religious discrimination.
Disability discrimination creates environments built for standard people while excluding those with various impairments. Some studies show employment benefits mental health but other research indicates negative impacts when needs are ignored. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates equality of access to buildings and services in the United States. Similar acts exist elsewhere including the Equality Act 2010 in the UK. Religious discrimination manifests through restrictions on public practice such as non-Muslims being barred from entering Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 10th of December 1948 declares everyone entitled to rights without distinction of race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national origin, property, birth, or other status. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination entered into force on the 4th of January 1969 after adoption by the UN General Assembly on the 21st of December 1965. This convention commits members to eliminating racial discrimination globally.
National laws vary significantly across jurisdictions. Australia enacted the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 followed by the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Canada passed the Canadian Human Rights Act 1977 while India prohibits discrimination against any citizen based on caste, religion, sex, race, or place of birth under Article 15 of its Constitution. The Netherlands criminalizes insults towards groups based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or handicap with maximum imprisonment terms reaching two years for habitual offenses.
The European Union framework includes directives protecting individuals from discrimination in employment and social services. France made it illegal to view a person's name on a résumé during initial screening processes. Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands have experimented with name-blind summary procedures to reduce bias. South Africa became the first country to explicitly add intersex status to legislation as part of the attribute of sex through the Judicial Matters Amendment Act No. 22 of 2005.
Social identity theory suggests that people derive self-esteem from group membership and favor their own group over others. Rubin and Hewstone identified three types of discrimination driven by different motivations. Realistic competition aims at obtaining material resources like food or territory for the in-group. Social competition seeks positive social status relative to comparable out-groups. Consensual discrimination reflects stable hierarchies believed to be legitimate and accurate.
Labeling theory describes how mental categorization of minorities leads to internal devaluation and social stigma. This process starts by describing a natural social order before distinguishing fundamental principles between fascism and social democracy. Nazi Germany used racially discriminatory agendas for political ends during the 1930s while Apartheid South Africa employed similar strategies until the early 1990s. These practices continue within some present-day governments today.
Economist Yanis Varoufakis conducted experiments where volunteers played computer-mediated games assigning random colors to participants. Players frequently developed discriminatory conventions giving advantages to those assigned one color over another. Hargreaves-Heap and Varoufakis found disadvantaged players usually cooperated with each other while advantaged players did not. Their research demonstrates how arbitrary characteristics evolve quickly into systematic discrimination even without prior history.
Analysis of data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study links disability discrimination directly to wellbeing outcomes. Thirteen point four percent of disabled people reported feeling discriminated against in their daily lives. Larger European studies confirm that disability discrimination remains very common across multiple nations. Those experiencing such treatment show lower levels of self-rated health, increased psychological distress, and reduced life satisfaction.
Employment can fulfill basic needs like collective purpose, social contact, status, and activity for individuals with disabilities. However, when employers fail to consider specific needs, work becomes detrimental rather than beneficial. A decline in working-age populations has led some regions to view disabled people as valuable economic resources instead of human beings deserving dignity. This shift reflects changing attitudes but does not eliminate underlying prejudice.
Mental health consequences extend beyond individual suffering to affect entire communities. Depression rates rise among groups facing systemic exclusion based on race, gender, or ability. Studies indicate that persistent exposure to discriminatory behaviors correlates strongly with diminished mental well-being and shorter lifespans. The cumulative effect creates cycles of disadvantage that are difficult to break without structural intervention.
Conceptualizing affirmative action as reverse discrimination gained popularity during the early 1970s. This period focused heavily on under-representation and policies intended to remedy past effects of discrimination within government and business sectors. Reverse discrimination refers to unequal treatment of majority group members resulting from preferential policies designed to help historically disadvantaged minorities. Such measures seek redress social inequalities where minority groups lacked access to privileges enjoyed by majorities.
Students protesting against racial quotas in Brazil demonstrated public resistance to these compensatory strategies. They chanted slogans demanding fair competition through entrance exams regardless of background. Critics argue that preferential treatment undermines merit-based systems while proponents claim it removes barriers preventing equal opportunity. The debate continues regarding whether temporary advantages create lasting equality or perpetuate division between groups.
In college admissions and employment contexts, claims of unfair treatment against majority groups often arise when quotas exist. These controversies highlight tensions between correcting historical wrongs and maintaining perceived fairness for all applicants. Some jurisdictions allow exemptions for nationality and immigration status despite broader anti-discrimination laws. International conventions do not prohibit discrimination based on citizenship but forbid targeting specific nationalities unfairly.
Common questions
When did the word discriminate appear in the English language?
The word discriminate appeared in the English language during the early 17th century. It derives from the Latin verb discriminare, which means to distinguish between things.
What is the definition of discrimination according to modern moral philosophers?
Modern moral philosophers define discrimination as acts that wrongfully impose disadvantage on persons based on their social group membership. An individual does not need actual harm to be discriminated against if they are treated worse than others for an arbitrary reason.
How many people worldwide suffer from caste discrimination according to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch?
Caste discrimination affects an estimated 250 million people worldwide according to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch. India alone contains 200 million Dalits or Scheduled Castes who face systemic barriers.
On what date was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 10th of December 1948. This declaration states that everyone is entitled to rights without distinction of race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national origin, property, birth, or other status.
Which country became the first to explicitly add intersex status to legislation through the Judicial Matters Amendment Act No. 22 of 2005?
South Africa became the first country to explicitly add intersex status to legislation as part of the attribute of sex through the Judicial Matters Amendment Act No. 22 of 2005.