Why We Hate by Jack Levin, Gordana Rabrenovic

From the Publisher

"Expressions of hate are trumpeted each evening on the news, from the mayhem unleashed by suicide bombers to the steadily increasing casualties in the Middle East and Iraq. And since September 11, Americans have repeatedly asked themselves, "Why do they hate us?" In this look at the most troubling aspect of human nature, Jack Levin and Gordana Rabrenovic seek to explain why hate exists and offer practical methods for creating a more peaceable society." These experts reveal their new, original, and sometimes surprising findings on hate among Americans, as well as the way the media can be manipulated to foster and intensify hatred. They also consider the phenomena of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism before and after September 11, in addition to anti-Muslim sentiments in the wake of the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Also discussed are domestic terrorism and "organized hate" in the form of white supremacist and civilian militia groups. Finally, in scrutinizing the many trouble "hot" spots around the world where hate is an explosive issue, including Northern Ireland, Levin and Rabrenovic describe a series of inspiring situations that show surprising cooperation between ethnic groups who have transcended hate. They explain how such peaceful coexistence has been achieved and can be achieved elsewhere in the future.

Publishers Weekly

The title of this book lacks a question mark, but it needs one, because sociology professors Levin (The Violence of Hate, etc.) and Rabrenovic (Community Builders) ask far more questions in this hollow book than they answer. The project they have outlined, one made more immediate after September 11, is to understand hatred-and how that hatred so often leads to violence. Unfortunately, the project becomes mired in analytical quicksand. The problem is one of approach, and the authors include far too many isolated incidents and long-standing geopolitical disputes to offer a cohesive argument about, or prescriptions for, the admittedly complex nature of hatred. Rather than careening from instance to instance to diagnose the apparent pandemic of hatred (in the space of two pages, the authors move from Nazi Germany to violence against females in Uzbekistan and the anti-Semitic graffiti of disaffected youth), Levin and Rabrenovic would have done better to use fewer examples and offer more analysis to yield more valuable conclusions. Instead, they dance around the role in hatred of fear, revenge, evolutionary psychology and other factors. Also disappointing is the authors' tendency to oversimplify otherwise valid causes of hate and prescriptions for it with statements such as "[L]ike attracts like. When it comes to their peers, human beings seem almost universally to be predisposed to prefer being among people like themselves" and offer such advice as "Those who are victimized should seek help from the proper authorities, and they should act accordingly." Noble and worthy statements, but the authors' project proves unwieldy within the confines of this slim yet sadly inelegant volume. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

The world is confronted by a great deal of hate from a variety of sources and for a variety of reasons. In this book, Levin (Hate Crimes Revisited) and Rabrenovic (Community Builders) examine whether hatred is a propensity we are born with or something we learn. Other topics discussed include the growing worldwide anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim sentiments, terrorism, "organized hate" (e.g., by white supremacists and civilian militias), and many of the trouble spots around the world. Levin, who frequently appears in the national media, is a well-established expert on hate crimes, and his expertise is clearly displayed here. Chapter 8, for example, provides an insightful review of how prevalent hate is in popular culture. In this chapter, the authors point out that media celebrities such as Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, G. Gordon Liddy, and Howard Stern constantly bombard the airwaves with discriminatory talk, and certain rap stars promote "killing whitey." Provocative and well written, this book is recommended for all public and academic libraries.-Tim Delaney, SUNY at Oswego Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents