Black and minority ethnic people (BME)

This term needs to be explained in two parts.  The term Black is used by some African-Caribbean and Asian people as a conscious and political expression of racist oppression and/or to denote unity of origin.  The term minority ethnic people, refers to groups of people who share historical, cultural, or national origins and who are numerically a minority in this society.

Bullying

Bullying can be defined as persistent actions, criticism or personal abuse, either in public or private, which humiliates, denigrates, undermines, intimidates or injures the recipient.

Culture

Culture could be defined as the total of the inherited ideas, beliefs, and knowledge, which constitute the shared bases of social action or the total range of activities and ideas of a community.

Direct discrimination

Treating people less favourably because of race, nationality, religion, gender, etc.

Diversity

Diversity is about recognising, valuing and taking account of people's different backgrounds, knowledge, skills, and experiences, and encouraging and using those differences to create a productive and effective workforce.

Ethnicity

A strict definition of an ethnic group is a group regarded as a distinct community by virtue of certain essential characteristics - a shared history which distinguishes it from other groups and a cultural tradition of its own. Sikhs and Gypsies are examples. However, it has come to have a broader meaning and the expression "ethnic monitoring" is used in reference to groups defined by colour, race or national origin as well.

Ethnocentricity

Viewing the world from the perspective of one particular ethnic group, often with the assumption that the values, beliefs and achievements of that group are superior to those of other ethnic groups.

Equal Opportunities

This is a term used for identifying ways of being disadvantaged either because of e.g. gender, race, disability, sexuality, religion.  'Equal Opportunities' is an attempt to provide concrete ways to take action on the inequalities revealed by analysis of the differences and barriers that exist for people in 'minority' groups.

Harassment

Behaviour which is unwelcome or unacceptable and which results in the creation of a stressful or intimidating environment for the victim amounts to harassment. It can consist of verbal abuse, racist jokes, insensitive comments, leering, physical contact, unwanted sexual advances, ridicule or isolation.

Indirect Discrimination

Race

The application of a provision, criterion or practice that puts people of a particular race or ethnic or national origin at a particular disadvantage and cannot be shown to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

The concept of 'provision, criterion or practice' covers the full breadth of formal and informal practice. Practice may be defined as the customary ways in which an intention or policy is actually carried out. It includes attitudes and behaviour that could amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping. To find discrimination it will be sufficient to show that a practice is likely to affect the group in question adversely.

Religion or belief

Occurs if one person (A) applies a provision, criterion or practice, which s/he to other persons not of B's religion or belief, but which puts B at a disadvantage when compared with those others, and which cannot be shown to be proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

Institutional racism

Institutional racism is concerned with racial discrimination which has been incorporated into structures, processes and procedures of organisations, either because of racial prejudice or because of a failure to take into account the particular needs of Black and minority ethnic people.

Multi – culturalism

The belief that many different cultures should be encouraged and allowed to flourish in society and that services and facilities such as health, education, the arts, etc should be delivered in a way that embodies and promotes this belief.

Nationalism
A distinctive sense of cultural and historical identity and or common destiny based on being a citizen of a particular nation state.

Positive action

Offering special help to people who are disadvantaged because of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, in order that they may take full and equal advantage of opportunities in jobs, education, training, services, etc.

Positive discrimination

Treating people more favourably on the grounds of race, nationality, religion, gender etc (which under the Race Relations Act this is illegal in the UK).

Prejudice

Prejudice means to pre-judge someone, knowing next to nothing about them but jumping to conclusions because of pre-conceived ideas including characteristics, i.e.  appearance.

Racial group

A group of people defined by race, colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. All racial groups are protected from unlawful racial discrimination.

Racism

Racism is used to describe a whole range of myths, ideas and attitudes that are used to justify placing a particular racial group(s) in an inferior position to another.  A set of attitudes and behaviour towards another racial or ethnic group based on:

• The belief that natural difference in physical characteristics (such as skin colour, hair type, face shape, etc.) corresponds directly to differences in personality and ability.
• The social and economic power of members of one racial or ethnic group to enforce and enact such attitudes and behaviour towards others.

Reasonable Adjustment

Reasonable adjustments are changes to physical premises or working practices that remove the disadvantage they present to a person with a disability.  There are no strict rules about what qualifies as a reasonable adjustment as every case is different and must be assesses on its merits.

Stereotyping

This is the process of assigning a person to a particular group (e.g. on the basis of physical appearance) then generalising based on a belief that all members of the group share certain characteristics (the stereotype), then finally inferring that the individual must share these characteristics.  Stereotyping underestimates variation within groups and stereotypes can be used to justify hostility, discrimination and oppression.

Victimisation

IIf a person has made or is making an accusation of discrimination in good faith, it is unlawful to discriminate against them for having done so, or because they intend to do so or it is suspected that they intend to do so.

'Proud Parents' of Plymouths Annual Respect Festival - 2007 10th Anniversary

www.plymouthrespectfestival.co.uk