Online Course – Week 1: What is Hate Speech?

Hate speech is everywhere today: on the media, online, offline, in the streets and walls. Not a single day passes without us reading hateful comments on the latest music video on YouTube or hearing about the latest controversial Tweet of a politician. But what is really hate speech? How can we define it? In this video, Misheel is giving her first insights to help us to define the phenomenon.

ONLINE COURSE

"Countering Hate Speech in Europe!" is an Online Course for activists, students and passionate citizens from all over Europe and the Southern Mediterranean who want to get a deep insight into hate speech. Based on a human rights perspective, the course explores these questions and the actions that can be undertaken to effectively counter hate and promote open societies.

Participants in this online course will get the opportunity to review expert content developed by European Alternatives in Cooperation with Sharing Perspectives Foundation. In addition, they are encouraged to putting their own experiences, values and perspectives on the forefront while engaging with peers through Virtual Exchange.

Week 1

In the first week, you will learn about hate speech and how it is defined by various European human rights organizations such as the ‘Council of Europe’ or the ‘European Commission against Racism’. You will also explore what the causes and consequences are of hate speech and how they are interconnected. Additionally, you will take a look at the various forms of hate speech and how hate speech is being packed for a wider public using mixed-media channels. Last but not least, you will get an understanding of how to assess cases of hate speech using a number of criteria.

Week 2

Human rights are minimum standards agreed upon at the international level to ensure everyone a life of equality in dignity. Human rights also serve as a framework of negotiation. Hate speech instances are either human rights violation or contributing factors to human rights violations. In this week, we will explore what human rights are, the principles and values underpinning them, how they are protected at European level and how they apply to the internet, and are evolving with us. Further, we will discuss how to apply a human rights perspective to cases of hate speech.

Week 3

Hate speech regulations across Europe Regulating hate speech is often, on one hand, seen as a controversial issue by the advocates of freedom of speech, whereas on the other hand, the regulation is also used as a censoring tool by advocates of authoritarianism. How can we draw the line between the limits of both? In week 3 we will explore the European legislation on regulating hate speech and how this is implemented in specific local contexts. This will enable participants to explore their own national legislations vis-a-vis hate speech and its implementation.

Week 4

What comes to your mind when you hear the term ‘hate speech’? Racism, discrimination, freedom of expression, political debate, identity, hate crime … these were the first that came to our mind. This week explores the place of hate speech in our current societies and how it intertwines with racism, discrimination, hate crime and narratives of various crimes. The effects of hate speech will be discussed further in terms of democratic health and human rights.

Week 5

Once you start looking critically at hate speech, a shocking discovery comes: it’s everywhere! So, what now? In this week, we explore strategies and tactics to respond and propose alternatives to hate speech. These will be grounded in a human rights framework and we shall look at examples coming from various fields. Together we will be exploring the strong and weak points of each and preparing ourselves further to take action.

HOSTED BY

European Alternatives
Sharing Perspectives Foundation

WITH THE SUPPORT OF

Foundation Remembrance Responsibility Future
Mott Foundation

LINKS

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Week 1 - what is hate speach


































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