discrimination, favoritism, favouritism

unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice

• ableism, ablism, able-bodiedism, able-bodism — discrimination in favor of the able-bodied
• ageism, agism — discrimination against middle-aged and elderly people
• cronyism, croneyism — favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)
• fattism, fatism — discrimination against people who are overweight
• heterosexism — discrimination in favor of heterosexual and against homosexual people
• nepotism — favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)
• racism, racialism, racial discrimination — discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race
• sexism — discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of the opposite sex

• social control — control exerted (actively or passively) by group action