69% Millenials Say Enmity Over Religion, Nationalism Up Since 2015

Majority Indian millennials say the world is more split now than it was in 2015 & that things will get worse by 2030

Image depicting a war of words.

(Photo: iStock/Altered by The Quint)

A majority of working Indians feel that the world has become more divided in the past three years, with religious differences and nationalist politics being the biggest threats, says a survey.

“Nearly 69 percent millennials in the country say the world is more divided now than it was in 2015. More than five in ten believe it will be more divided by 2030,” a survey conducted by remittances player Western Union said.

The millennials, or those born between 1980 and the late 1990s, feel religious differences and nationalist politics are the biggest threats to global citizenship and borderless societies, followed by the fear of immigrants and racism, says the survey.

The survey comes at a time when concerns over divisive politics and social polarisation which are visible in instances like lynching and other hate crimes, hog national and international headlines.

The survey says worldwide, the millennials point out to racism and a fear of immigrants as the biggest threats to globalisation, but in India, religious differences and nationalist politics trump other threats.

To achieve global citizenship and eradicate social discrimination, the millennials seek a respect for diversity as the top most priority, followed by adaptability, being socially responsible and cross-cultural awareness or the ability to embrace new cultures.

According to Western Union regional vice-president for South Asia and Indo-China Sohini Rajola, on the positive side, the Indian millennials believe more in the power of globalisation and collaboration for a better future together.

She further says the millennials want to play a part in making the world a better place.

The future-shapers are also seeking a borderless environment to tackle ongoing issues around racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, gender inequality and freedom to be anywhere.

A majority of the Indian millennials say the ideal world is one where technology will make it easy to live in one country and work in another, followed by no barriers based on gender, religion, culture or nationality and the ability to live, work and play anywhere in the world.

The survey is based inputs from more than 10,000 people in the 20-36 age-group across 15 countries, including 844 from the country.