What is Social Hostilities Index?

Why in News?

• US think-tank Pew Research Center released the Social Hostilities Index (SHI).
• AT 9.4 out of a maximum possible score of 10, India’s SHI in 2020 was worse than neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan, and a further increase in its own index value for 2019. A higher score is worse. The report covered 198 countries.
• The SHI measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups. The index comprises 13 metrics, including religion-related armed conflict or terrorism and mob or sectarian violence.
• Questions used to compute the SHI included whether the country saw violence motivated by religious hatred or bias, whether individuals faced harassment or intimidation motivated by religious hatred or bias and whether there was mob violence against those of particular religious groups.
• Among the most populous countries, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh had “very high" social hostilities involving religion.

 

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Q1) What is Pew research centre?

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world by conducting public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. Their mission is to generate a foundation of facts that enriches public dialogue and supports sound decision-making.

Source: Livemint