Hate Speech and Polarization in Participatory Society

"This volume brings a whole range of colours in the black-and-white debate on technologies and participatory society. Both the cyber-optimistic views about a brave new Internet fuelled participatory democracy and the simplistic techno-fatalist criticism solely focused on data-driven corporations contribute to misguide the understanding of the complex social process that characterises media in the 21st century. Between these two extremes there is a necessary room for a rich comprehension of the entanglements amongst the new connectivities, the new flows of information and the social configurations that come along them. The state-of-the-art analyses included in this volume definitely contribute to relocate the discussion on hate speech and disinformation in the open, wide frame its complexity demands."

Juan Miguel Aguado, Full Professor of Media and Communication, Mobile Media Research Lab, School of Information and Media Studies, University of Murcia, Spain

"Hate Speech and Polarization in Participatory Society provides a timely perspective on core issues of contemporary society and culture. The lineup of authors is admirable and delivers a truly multi-national approach on the many facets and contexts of hate speech and polarization. Although hate speech is often practiced under the guise of free speech, it can in fact be used to impede deliberation and freedom of speech of others – These phenomena are not only dark sides of peer-to-peer social media, but exist also in political and media representations. The volume thus assembles a rich and many-sided perspective on hate speech and polarization, adopting realistic connotations of the potentials of participatory society."

Mikko Villi, Professor of Journalism Studies, Department of Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

"This book is an astute volume that challenges preconceptions and informs perspectives on one of the most pressing issues of our time. Hate speech and polarization have significant consequences for society if they are left misunderstood and misrepresented. Cognizant that hate speech and polarization are global challenges, Hate Speech and Polarization in Participatory Society brings together a broad range of leading scholars from across the world to provide shrewd insights from diverse contexts. The edited collection is a nuanced intervention that unpacks the potential, promise and peril of participatory media."

Alfred Hermida, Professor of Journalism, Writing, and Media, University of British Columbia, Canada