 Dear students, in this module, we are going to talk about the social tolerance. Social tolerance refers to the acceptance of diversity within a society and compassing differences in race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and other individual characteristics. It involves respecting the rights of individuals and groups to hold different beliefs and practices even when they diverge from societal norms or majority views. Although there are a lot of differences of opinion, there are a lot of ideological differences, there are a lot of differences where people cannot necessarily agree upon the shared beliefs and shared values system. However, social tolerance teaches us that we should not become aggressive, violent or so agitative in a way that we cannot give way to the to the aspect in a way that cannot be discussed at all. So, the tolerance implies more than just passive acceptance or avoiding the conflict. It involves actively promoting understanding, respect and inclusivity. It plays a crucial role in maintaining social harmony, enhancing democratic practices and fostering an open-minded society. By open-mindedness, it does not necessarily mean that society can compromise on all of its value system. However, by open-mindedness, it means that society should produce an environment where every segment of society, even with the differences of opinion, can be meaningfully engaged in a meaningful dialogue. In a multicultural society like Pakistan, social tolerance is especially important and is very crucial. In Canada, for example, multiculturalism is actively promoted and protected by law, fostering a high degree of social tolerance for a diverse range of ethnicities, cultures and religions. So, tolerance does not mean ignoring the harmful practices or behaviors under the guise of cultural relativism. So, it is more about balancing the respect for diversity with the universal principles and human rights and social justice. So, at the societal levels, it can be influenced by the various factors including education, exposure or societal norms, governmental policies and media representations. For instance, educational programs promoting the intercultural understanding and empathy can foster the tolerance. The notion of tolerance can be the contentious issue in the societies with conservative or traditional social norms. In Pakistan, for example, the question of political polarization particularly towards the divergent views has been crucial issue, requiring the ongoing dialogues and efforts to promote the political harmony and mutual respect. It is very important to understand that no matter to which political party you support, you can have the mutual respect and a meaningful dialogue to persuade other people for the political agenda of your party. That should not mean that you should use the agitation or the abusive language or the violence to convince or to enforce your own political agenda on other people. While the social tolerance promotes the social cohesion and peace, intolerance can lead to social tension, discrimination and conflict. The rise of hate crimes, xenophobia and sectarian violence in the various parts of the world underscores the dangers of intolerance. So in the context of sociology, social tolerance is understood not just as an individual attribute but also as the structural feature of societies shaped by social, cultural, political and institutional forces. Thus, in a nutshell, promoting the social tolerance is a collective social endeavor crucial for the advancement of a pluralistic, democratic and harmonious society.