Ethnic groups in Britain see racial equality worsening
In the United Kingdom, members of different ethnic groups believe that the situation with racial equality is worsening, according to a study by the British Future think tank. Almost half of respondents from ethnic minorities said they had experienced prejudice because of race or nationality over the past year, The Guardian reports.
Experience of discrimination
Racial inequality was described as a serious problem by 62% of Britons from ethnic minorities and 57% of white respondents. Incidents of prejudice were most often reported in public places, followed by social media and workplaces. People aged 18 to 24 reported such experiences more often than other age groups.
British Future director Sunder Katwala said that most ethnic minorities in the country had seen positive changes in combating racism during their lifetime, but now feared that this progress could be rolled back.
Differences in perception
White survey participants were less likely to see structural barriers in education, employment and public services. They were also more likely to believe that minority representatives have equal or even privileged status. In particular, 37% of white respondents said that ethnic minorities receive better treatment than white Britons; 33% disagreed.
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Among respondents from ethnic minorities, 23% shared this view, while 48% rejected it. Researchers noted that age and political differences in the responses were deeper than differences between ethnic groups. At the same time, both white respondents and minority representatives described the gap between rich and poor as the most important division affecting the country.
The study is based on two online surveys of 2,009 white adult Britons and 3,014 adult ethnic minority representatives, conducted from March 30 to April 29, as well as materials from 12 focus groups. It is part of a three-year project funded by the Nuffield Foundation.
British Future noted that Black respondents were more likely to assess the country’s progress in racial equality positively. By contrast, participants of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin were more pessimistic; according to the report, their heightened anxiety is likely linked to the unrest of 2024. Women, especially women from ethnic minorities, were also more pessimistic than men.
