Multi-faith in policy only?: Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality Act

Kristin Aune; Tom Fryer; Lucy  Peacock; Mathew Guest

doi:10.1080/01425692.2025.2557570

Multi-faith in policy only? Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality Act

Kristin Aune
, Tom Fryer
, Lucy Peacock
, Mathew Guest

Research Centre for Peace and Security

University of Manchester
Woolf Institute, Cambridge
Durham University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

75 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The Equality Act 2010 requires universities to eliminate harassment, ensure equality of opportunity and promote good relations for those of different religious or philosophical beliefs. The attention universities give to these obligations varies. This article analyses survey data from 4,618 students to examine religion and belief-related experiences and inequalities in universities in relation to the Equality Act’s three foci: eliminating harassment; equal opportunities; and good relations. The article adopts the lens of equality/inequality, assessing differences between religious groups and types of university, and draws upon Ahmed’s and Elgström’s work on the complexity of equality policy implementation to account for the endurance of religion and belief-related inequalities. Despite the positioning of ‘religion or belief’ as a protected characteristic and diversity-friendly language such as ‘multi-faith’, inequalities remain, with religious students, and students at certain types of university, especially vulnerable to unequal treatment compared to their peers.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	423-443
Number of pages	21
Journal	British Journal of Sociology of Education
Volume	47
Issue number	3
Early online date	30 Sept 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2025.2557570
Publication status	Published - 3 Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. the termson which this article has been published allow the posting of the accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

Funding

Funders
Porticus UK
Spalding Trust
Durham University

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

religion
higher education
universities
policy implementation
Inequalities
Equality Act

Access to Document

10.1080/01425692.2025.2557570Licence: CC BY

Multi-faith in policy only Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality ActFinal published version, 2.08 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Multi-faith in policy only?: Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality Act",

abstract = "The Equality Act 2010 requires universities to eliminate harassment, ensure equality of opportunity and promote good relations for those of different religious or philosophical beliefs. The attention universities give to these obligations varies. This article analyses survey data from 4,618 students to examine religion and belief-related experiences and inequalities in universities in relation to the Equality Act{\textquoteright}s three foci: eliminating harassment; equal opportunities; and good relations. The article adopts the lens of equality/inequality, assessing differences between religious groups and types of university, and draws upon Ahmed{\textquoteright}s and Elgstr{\"o}m{\textquoteright}s work on the complexity of equality policy implementation to account for the endurance of religion and belief-related inequalities. Despite the positioning of {\textquoteleft}religion or belief{\textquoteright} as a protected characteristic and diversity-friendly language such as {\textquoteleft}multi-faith{\textquoteright}, inequalities remain, with religious students, and students at certain types of university, especially vulnerable to unequal treatment compared to their peers.",

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AU - Peacock, Lucy

AU - Guest, Mathew

N1 - This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. the termson which this article has been published allow the posting of the accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

PY - 2026/4/3

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N2 - The Equality Act 2010 requires universities to eliminate harassment, ensure equality of opportunity and promote good relations for those of different religious or philosophical beliefs. The attention universities give to these obligations varies. This article analyses survey data from 4,618 students to examine religion and belief-related experiences and inequalities in universities in relation to the Equality Act’s three foci: eliminating harassment; equal opportunities; and good relations. The article adopts the lens of equality/inequality, assessing differences between religious groups and types of university, and draws upon Ahmed’s and Elgström’s work on the complexity of equality policy implementation to account for the endurance of religion and belief-related inequalities. Despite the positioning of ‘religion or belief’ as a protected characteristic and diversity-friendly language such as ‘multi-faith’, inequalities remain, with religious students, and students at certain types of university, especially vulnerable to unequal treatment compared to their peers.

AB - The Equality Act 2010 requires universities to eliminate harassment, ensure equality of opportunity and promote good relations for those of different religious or philosophical beliefs. The attention universities give to these obligations varies. This article analyses survey data from 4,618 students to examine religion and belief-related experiences and inequalities in universities in relation to the Equality Act’s three foci: eliminating harassment; equal opportunities; and good relations. The article adopts the lens of equality/inequality, assessing differences between religious groups and types of university, and draws upon Ahmed’s and Elgström’s work on the complexity of equality policy implementation to account for the endurance of religion and belief-related inequalities. Despite the positioning of ‘religion or belief’ as a protected characteristic and diversity-friendly language such as ‘multi-faith’, inequalities remain, with religious students, and students at certain types of university, especially vulnerable to unequal treatment compared to their peers.

KW - religion

KW - higher education

KW - universities

KW - policy implementation

KW - Inequalities

KW - Equality Act

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M3 - Article

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JF - British Journal of Sociology of Education

IS - 3

ER -

Multi-faith in policy only? Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality Act

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

IDEALS UK: Building positive relationships among university students across religion and worldview diversity

Comparisons Across Higher Education Contexts: Findings from Collaboratively Adapting an Interfaith Diversity Study

How can universities support students’ interfaith learning? Findings from a longitudinal survey of students in the UK

Building student relationships across religion and worldview difference

Cite this

Multi-faith in policy only? Religion and belief inequalities at UK universities since the Equality Act

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

IDEALS UK: Building positive relationships among university students across religion and worldview diversity

Research output

Comparisons Across Higher Education Contexts: Findings from Collaboratively Adapting an Interfaith Diversity Study

How can universities support students’ interfaith learning? Findings from a longitudinal survey of students in the UK

Building student relationships across religion and worldview difference

Cite this