When Hate Comes to Town

During the 1990s, many recently arrived immigrants and refugees in search of secure and stable places to raise their families moved to smaller, mostly homogenous American cities and towns. In these smaller communities, a lack of experience with ethnic and racial minorities along with the fear-provok...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American behavioral scientist (Beverly Hills) 2007-10, Vol.51 (2), p.349-360
Main Author: Rabrenovic, Gordana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Community Involvement
Crime Prevention
Hate Crime
Mass Media Effects
Northern States
Towns
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Summary:During the 1990s, many recently arrived immigrants and refugees in search of secure and stable places to raise their families moved to smaller, mostly homogenous American cities and towns. In these smaller communities, a lack of experience with ethnic and racial minorities along with the fear-provoking impact of 9/11 gave racial supremacists an opportunity to expand their membership base by promoting racial hatred and fears across these communities. This research examines response to hate provocation in one small New England city and shows how a community can successfully organize against racial hostilities and prevent violence. The results of the research suggest that racial violence is more likely to erupt if there is no community-wide response to racial provocations and also that the media can play an important role in countering hate messages by presenting truthful information and covering issues fairly. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright 2007.]
ISSN:0002-7642
DOI:10.1177/0002764207306063