Religious Intolerance on Campus: A Multi-Institution Study

Abstract

Incidents of religious intolerance and discrimination have become too familiar in American society, and today’s college campuses are not immune to these incidents. Previous research has shown the negative influence of perceived hostile campus cultures on students’ overall learning and development. This study investigated bachelor’s degree-seeking students’ religious and spiritual discrimination experiences. With particular attention paid to students’ self-identified religious/spiritual identities, the study found that students who identify with a non-Christian, world faith tradition more frequently experienced discriminatory acts than their Christian peers. Additionally, the results show that more respect for others’ spirituality beliefs on campus was negatively correlated with experiencing acts of religious intolerance. In contrast, increased comfort in expressing religious and spiritual beliefs on campus was positively related to more frequent incidents of religious intolerance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Fosnacht

^a

Kevin Fosnacht ([email protected]) is associate research scientist at the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research.

Cynthia Broderick

^b

Cindy Broderick ([email protected]) is the coordinator of strategic initiatives in the Office of the President at Indiana University and doctoral candidate at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Education.