Religious Persecution in Sociology

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The Religious persecution is one of the most alarming social issues in the United States and globally. In terms of its relation to social work, this problem stresses the crucial role of tolerance, inclusivity, and diversity, which are all some of the most important ethical principles of social work. Thus, social workers worldwide have the responsibility to promote religious liberty. Religious persecution is defined as “the systematic hostility or ill-treatment encountered by an individual or group because of their religious beliefs” (Joint Public Issues Team, 2021, para. 2). Manifestations of religious discrimination can take different forms, including the denial of services and basic human rights, bullying, or deportation. One of the most violent manifestations of the issue is physical violence targeted at followers of a specific religion. For instance, the Holocaust can be partially considered one of the most large-scale religious persecution tragedies in the world.

There are numerous socio-political factors affecting the issue of religious persecution. These factors include religious regulation, nationalism, and fundamentalism (Joint Public Issues Team, 2021). Religious regulation implies there is a link between governmental attempts to control its citizens on their expression of faith and religious oppression. The phenomena promoting regulation are socio-economic pressures, the rise of religious movements, and so on. Thus, Joint Public Issues Team (2020) concludes that “in countries where us less regulation on religion, the ability of any single religion to wield undue political power is diminished” (para. 7). As for nationalism, people who harbor strong feelings for their homeland, often falsely assume that the religious affiliation of others can be a cultural and social threat to their nation. In regards to fundamentalism, it is often regarded as strict following of a basic set of principles and guidelines. Therefore, religious persecution is often initiated by marginalized religious groups, which would like to assert their influence and power over another group of followers. Joint Public Issues Team (2021) describes fundamentalism as “one of the key factors contributing to restrictions on religious freedoms within a society” (para. 12). However, it is important to recognize that this usually originates through dissenting opinions and minority groups rather than the government itself.

The issue of religious persecution dates back to pre-historic times as people systematically killed discriminated against heretics and non-believers. Historically, followers of each religion have faced persecution, physical violence, social exclusion, and so on. Despite that, as of 2021, the group that remains the most vulnerable to persecution is Muslims. Warsi (2020) reports that it is Muslims who face increased likelihood of becoming victims of institutionalized discrimination. In light of the horrifying instances of Islamic extremism all over the world, the attitude towards Muslims has worsened substantially.

The policy area the issue of religious persecution can be referred to are culture and society, and, particularly, civil rights. The chosen policy is the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This policy is designed to promote liberty of religion as a part of the United States’ foreign policy objectives. Moreover, it grants the nation the power to act as a referee on an international arena as it advocates for individuals worldwide who have been persecuted for their faith (Graver, 2018). The policy is regulated by the federal statute as this Act puts three entities in charge of monitoring religious discrimination, including the Department of State, a bipartisan commission, as well as the National Security Council (Graver, 2018). Thus, the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 makes the President and other governmental branches to take into consideration the issues facing religious groups while constructing foreign policy. The Act has created the Office of International Religious Freedom. In addition, it has identified the composition and structure of the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom.

In regards to the amendments, some of them include Public Law 106-55, 108-332, 108-458, and many others. One of the recent developments is Barack Obama’s decision to extend the content of the Act to non-theists and those without any particular religious affiliation. The President has initiated the creation of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Act. According to recent polls, there are not many opposers to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. While Republicans may have doubts about the Act and try to oppose it, the Democrats usually support it.

In terms of the impact the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 has on social work clients, it is one of the definitive regulatory policies that ensure religious liberty and freedom of expressing one’s faith. A client’s belief system is possibly the most crucial part of their personality and purpose in life. Therefore, social workers have a direct responsibility to contribute to the elimination of religious discrimination and mistreatment. It is one of the tasks of an expert social worker to educate themselves on the challenges their client might face depending on their religious affiliation. Furthermore, there is a need for them to advocate for religious freedom by being an active member of their personal and academic communities.