THE 5 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF DISCRIMINATION - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Discrimination is an exclusionary social behavior. There are many variants depending on the reason for the discrimination.

However, all discrimination has traits or characteristics common to any typology: it excludes individuals or groups within society, establishes categories among human beings, causes tensions and social conflicts.

Within the typologies that we indicate, some are historically more recurrent than others. For example, racial, ethnic and religious discrimination has been present throughout human history.

Other types, such as gender, sexual orientation or disability discrimination have gained more weight in political speeches and social protests in recent decades.

Characteristics common to any type of discrimination

1- It excludes individuals or groups within society

Any type of discrimination causes an isolation of individuals or groups. The very definition of discrimination implies that it always applies to minorities.

In other words, a dominant majority seeks to subject or deprive more or less extensive minorities of their rights.

Thus, the nuances vary depending on whether a person is discriminated against in a workplace or hundreds of thousands of citizens within a country. In both cases, there is always that component of social stigma to which the discriminated person / s are subjected.

2- Establish categories between human beings

Any type of discrimination tends to use the specific characteristics of individuals and groups against them.

What many scholars of philosophy and anthropology understand as diversity, others turn into inequality.

Thus, racial discrimination makes minority skin color a problem; religious discrimination makes minority religion a problem; and so on.

3- It causes tensions and social conflicts

Discrimination tends to cause psychological damage to those who suffer it, whether they are individuals or groups. However, not all reactions to all types of discrimination are the same.

At times, those discriminated against may feel a desire or need for revenge. They seek reparation that often manifests itself through violence.

This leads to confrontations caused by initial discrimination. Some examples are the riots against racial discrimination in the US or the wars generated by abuses against indigenous people in America.

4- Generates movements to support discriminated minorities

Normally, group discrimination within a society generates empathy and solidarity on the part of some.

Thus, currents of support for these minorities are born, which materialize in the form of groups, associations or political parties.

They do not always achieve their goals and sometimes resort to violence or confrontation to make themselves heard or as a defense against disproportionate reactions.

5- It can cause marginality

It occurs when discrimination is exercised against very minority groups or individuals. For example, when a person is discriminated against in school, university or workplace.

If their relationships with the rest of the group members are broken, there will be a situation of isolation or marginalization.

As with very minority groups in a given territory - Roma, homeless people, drug addicts, etc. - who tend to cluster in ghettos.

References

1. Examples of discrimination in society today on Khan Academy, at khanacademy.org
2. Forms of Discrimination on Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), at ohrc.on.ca
3. Different types of discrimination on Sheffield University, at sheffield.ac.uk
4. Discrimination essay- Effects of discrimination. (2015). UK Essays at ukessays.com
5. Equality and Non-Discrimination on United Nations (UN) and the Rule of Law, at un.org