Joseph B. Walther is the Bertelsen Presidential Chair of Technology and Society and Distinguished Professor of Communication, at the University of California Santa Barbara, USA. Ronald E. Rice is the Arthur N. Rupe Chair in Social Effects of Mass Communication and Distinguished Professor of Communication, at the University of California Santa Barbara, USA.
"'Hate speech is always with us, but the internet supercharged its developmental process. Formerly, voices crying out in the desert of hate largely went unheard, but the internet now provides a ready audience of fellow haters. Learn about the birth, nourishment, life, and death of hate speech in this impressive book.' William Crano, Oskamp Distinguished Professor in Psychology, Claremont Graduate University 'The very idea of a community of haters may seem paradoxical. Yet such is the extraordinary reality of our digital world. This carefully researched volume traces the emerging norms, innovative practices, and intensified cultures of online hate with which we must now contend, and challenges researchers – and society – to identify constructive new directions.' Sonia Livingstone, Professor, London School of Economics, and Director of Digital Futures for Children 'With a novel focus on ""social process perspectives"" – such as the ways in which online hate can be a bonding experience for the haters – this timely book offers a vital resource for understanding and addressing the complexities of contemporary online discourse.' Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law, Computer Science, and Public Policy, Harvard University"