Abstract

There are many people who would rather not look at the issue of hate, and cannot understand why there is a need for an Institute for Action Against Hate. In the struggle to combat hate, it must be identified—and named for what it is—before it can be prevented. Gonzaga University’s Institute for Action Against Hate was founded in 1998 with the purpose of fighting hate through education, research, and advocacy. Its genesis derived from concerns surrounding the apparent increase in the phenomenon of hate—especially racial and religious hate—as it manifested itself on campuses and in communities throughout the country. The prevalence of hate crimes, organized hate groups, and hateful Internet sites prompted the University community to reflect on ways that Gonzaga—a Jesuit institution— might provide a more enduring and substantive contribution to the understand- ing of how hate afflicts campus life, community life, society in general, and the world. By providing resources and a framework for a new discipline known as “Hate Studies,” the Gonzaga Institute for Action Against Hate hopes to complement the important work of a variety of human rights organizations, conflict resolution groups, and educators in the United States and abroad.

Recommended Citation

Shepard, Jerri (2003) "Preface," Journal of Hate Studies: Vol. 2, Article 1.
DOI: 10.33972/jhs.7
Available at: https://repository.gonzaga.edu/jhs/vol2/iss1/1