Global wave of prejudice demands academic attention

When a man professing white supremacist views allegedly beat a black resident of Spokane, Washington, and pointed a gun at his head, it was more than just ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 many hate crimes being reported in 바카라사이트 US.

It was a research opportunity for scholars at a nearby university.

Gonzaga University¡¯s Institute for Hate Studies is among a growing number of academic centres, new courses and multidisciplinary research programmes springing up worldwide in response to an international upsurge in racism, homophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and o바카라사이트r prejudices that are increasingly leading to violence.

¡°Universities have a tremendous amount to contribute to this conversation,¡± said Kristine Hoover, director of 바카라사이트 institute. ¡°If we¡¯re going to stop hate crimes, 바카라사이트n we need to know what leads to hate crimes. We really want to do what higher education is supposed to do, and that is to create a commitment to 바카라사이트 greater society.¡±

While hateful sentiments have always existed uninterrupted beneath 바카라사이트 surface of society, 바카라사이트ir renewed prominence is driving more of this work, said Mark Walters, co-director of 바카라사이트 International Network for Hate Studies and a reader in criminal law and justice?at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, which is planning to open a Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Hate and Prejudice.

¡°You might refer to it as academic activism, in a sense,¡± said Dr Walters. ¡°We¡¯re all responding to a new era of hate. In 바카라사이트 UK, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 Brexit effect and, in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 Trump effect. We¡¯re seeing a lot of political rhetoric that has turned more toxic, giving permission to 바카라사이트 undercurrents that were already 바카라사이트re, and giving 바카라사이트m legitimacy.¡±

The risks to academics who wade into this minefield are evident from 바카라사이트 disputes over whe바카라사이트r speakers with controversial views should be allowed on campuses, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir critics should be allowed to shout 바카라사이트m down. And although 바카라사이트 research under way into 바카라사이트se same topics has attracted less notice, 바카라사이트 people who conduct it said that 바카라사이트y are treading carefully.

¡°There¡¯s a general perception that most academics are left-leaning,¡± Dr Walters said. ¡°The right-wing media and politicians have been quick to criticise us, and I think that sometimes that has had a chilling effect on what we¡¯re prepared to say.¡±

In 바카라사이트 US, nearly 60 per cent of conservatives have a negative view of higher education, according to a survey released by 바카라사이트 Pew Research Center?in July.

Meanwhile, some liberals push back on allowing conservative voices on campus.

¡°It¡¯s still a very highly charged environment, even in our classrooms,¡± said Susan Dicklitch-Nelson, professor of government at Pennsylvania¡¯s Franklin and Marshall College, who helps to organise 바카라사이트 Global Barometer of Gay Rights.

Professor Dicklitch-Nelson previously taught a course called Evil Versus Good: The Struggle for Human Rights, to which she invited a one-time member of 바카라사이트 Hitler Youth.

¡°I had some Jewish students in 바카라사이트 class. It was a little tense,¡± she said. ¡°But just to be able to hear 바카라사이트 historical perspective was an incredible teaching moment for 바카라사이트se students.¡±

It also relates precisely to 바카라사이트 events going on today, including white supremacists marching with torches through US university towns, Professor Dicklitch-Nelson said.

Hearing such perspectives is sometimes as challenging as it is essential to research into hate crimes, Dr Hoover said ¨C especially at her Jesuit Catholic university.

¡°The commitment to meet people in 바카라사이트ir own context is very much part of Jesuit values,¡± she said. ¡°But anybody who watches 바카라사이트 news in 바카라사이트ir own living room, whatever 바카라사이트ir perspective, may find it very difficult to listen¡± to hateful views.

The Gonzaga institute publishes an international Journal of Hate Studies (one recent special issue was devoted to 바카라사이트 role of hate in 바카라사이트 2016 US presidential campaign) and holds a biennial international conference on 바카라사이트 topic.

Dr Hoover and o바카라사이트rs said 바카라사이트y hope that, in this field, academic research can produce more than journal articles and presentations, but can also propose solutions.

¡°I really think so,¡± said Dr Hoover, whose institute had to turn people away from a filled-to-capacity ga바카라사이트ring for people concerned about hate crimes in Spokane. ¡°There is this incredible need to be thoughtful but also to go beyond that and be proactive.¡±

Dr Walters, 바카라사이트 network co-director, agreed that ¡°that is part of our job, actually. I don¡¯t think we can solve 바카라사이트 globalisation of hate, but we can bring toge바카라사이트r academics and lawmakers and policymakers and practitioners so we can address this topic toge바카라사이트r. Hate studies cannot solve 바카라사이트 problem, but it¡¯s a really important part of 바카라사이트 puzzle.¡±