Understanding the Future of Hate: Concepts, Theories, and Trends in Bias Crimes Research

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

This panel includes four papers that are on the cutting edge of exploring crucial concepts and trends in bias research. Combined, the papers provide theoretical and practical implications for the future of bias crimes research. They highlight the effect of physical locality of perpetration, such as occurrence in secondary schools (McDevitt and Iwama) and online (Costello et al.), as well as the temporal context in which the crime is taking place—like during a pandemic (Costello et al.), contentious presidential elections (Reichelmann and Lloyd), or across defined periods of time (Hawdon). Additionally, the papers demonstrate how theory helps us understand the rise in hate crimes (Reichelmann and Lloyd; Hawdon), while also focusing on practical pushing events (Costello et al; Reichelmann and Lloyd) and prevention methods (McDevitt and Iwama). Taken together, these four papers provide a range of lenses and tools to explore and combat the increase of bias crimes in the United States and beyond.

Sub Unit

• Area III. Types of Offending / 23. Hate Crime

Individual Presentations

• Historical Trends in Hate in the United States: Status, Self-help, and Institutional Partisanship - James Hawdon, Virginia Tech

• Massachusetts Hate Crime Resource Guide - Jack McDevitt, Northeastern University; Janice Iwama, American University

• COVID-19 as a Radicalizing Event? - Matthew Costello, Clemson University; Long Cheng, Clemson University; Feng Lou, Clemson University; Hongxin Hu, University of Buffalo, SUNY; Song Liao, Clemson University; Nishant Vishwamitra, University of Buffalo, SUNY

• The Politics of Prejudice: Group Threat, Hate Crimes, and Presidential Elections - Ashley Veronica Reichelmann, Virginia Tech; Jonathan Andrew LLoyd, Virginia Tech

Discussant

• Jonathan Andrew LLoyd, Virginia Tech