Human rights and social justice — AQA GCSE Religious Studies revision

Prejudice and discrimination

• Prejudice is holding a negative opinion about a group or individual without just cause; discrimination is treating people unfairly based on such prejudice, for example due to race, religion or gender.
• Racial harmony and religious harmony describe communities of different races or religions living together respectfully and peacefully.
• Religious teachings commonly stress that all humans are of equal worth, often because they are seen as created equally in the eyes of God.
• Non-religious views often base equality on shared human dignity and rational ethical principles rather than divine creation.

Social justice, wealth and poverty

• Social justice is the idea that fairness and equality should exist in society, including equal opportunities and fair treatment for all.
• Wealth and poverty are unevenly distributed globally; religious teachings often call for generosity, sharing wealth, and support for the poor.
• Exploitation of the poor occurs when powerful individuals or organisations take unfair advantage of vulnerable people, for example through unfair wages or unsafe working conditions.
• Fair pay is the idea that workers should be paid a wage that properly reflects the value and difficulty of their work and enables a decent standard of living.

Key terms

Prejudice

Holding a negative opinion about a group or individual without just cause.

Discrimination

Treating people unfairly because of prejudice.

Social justice

The idea that fairness and equality should exist within society.

Exploitation

Taking unfair advantage of someone, especially the vulnerable.

Fair pay

Wages that properly reflect the value of work and enable a decent living standard.

People trafficking

Illegal transport and exploitation of people, often for forced labour or sexual exploitation.

Common exam traps

• Confusing prejudice (attitude) with discrimination (action) in exam answers.
• Assuming social justice is a purely religious concept — many non-religious groups and philosophies also promote it.
• Forgetting to mention exploitation of the poor when discussing wealth inequality.

Practice questions with answers

1. 1. What is prejudice?

   • • Holding a negative opinion about a group without just cause
   • • Treating someone unfairly through action
   • • A form of charity
   • • A legal right

   Answer: Holding a negative opinion about a group without just cause

   Prejudice is an attitude, while discrimination is the resulting unfair action.

2. 2. What is discrimination?

   • • Treating people unfairly because of prejudice
   • • A form of charity
   • • Freedom of speech
   • • A type of trafficking

   Answer: Treating people unfairly because of prejudice

   Discrimination is prejudice put into unfair action.

3. 3. Define social justice.

   Answer: The idea that fairness and equality should exist in society, including equal opportunities for all.

   Social justice concerns fair treatment across society, not just individuals.

4. 4. What is exploitation of the poor?

   • • Taking unfair advantage of vulnerable people, e.g. through unfair wages
   • • Paying workers a fair wage
   • • Giving generously to charity
   • • Promoting equal rights

   Answer: Taking unfair advantage of vulnerable people, e.g. through unfair wages

   Exploitation involves unfairly benefiting from another's vulnerability.

5. 5. Give one reason religious believers support giving to charity.

   Answer: Many religious teachings command generosity and caring for those less fortunate.

   Charity is often seen as both a moral and religious duty.

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