How Hate is Promoted: The Network of Disseminating Hate on the Internet

• In Event: 3551 - Section on Sociology of Culture Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 5. Culture Section Network: Consuming and Resisting Hate

Abstract

In the past decade, but particularly since Donald Trump assumed the U.S. Presidency in January 2017, there has been a great deal of attention paid to the increasing prevalence and intensity of hateful rhetoric, especially as it has been disseminated on the internet. One particular target of this rhetoric have been college professors, usually those perceived as being liberal.

In addition to presenting how these “networks of hate” operate, this presentation will present two cases studies – one about Johnny Williams at Trinity College and the other about Courtney Lawton at the University of Nebraska. In the first case, the attack on Williams resulted in his having to take an unpaid leave. In the second case, Lawton was removed from teaching. Suggestions for how to mitigate these attacks will be explored.

Author

• Rodney Andrew Carveth, Morgan State University