Abstract
This chapter studies target groups, forms, and intensities of hate speech in German user comments on refugees and immigration, and considers offensive comments that are below the line of hate speech but can potentially escalate online discussions and provoke hate speech. The analysis uses a modularised framework that goes beyond the common “hate/no-hate” dichotomy in the field. Results show that offensive language is used significantly more often than hate speech in user comments. While statements with offensive language are predominantly directed against politicians, hate speech statements are mostly targeting refugees and immigrants. Comments that stereotype refugees and Muslims as criminals portraying them as a danger are noteworthy, while extreme forms of hate speech, such as calls for violence and killing, are rare in the sample.
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Acknowledgements
This research is part of the project “NOHATE—Overcoming crises in public communication about refugees, migration, foreigners,” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant number 01UG1735AX).
The datasets analysed during the current study are available from the authors on reasonable request.
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Paasch-Colberg, S., Trebbe, J., Strippel, C., Emmer, M. (2022). Insults, Criminalisation, and Calls for Violence: Forms of Hate Speech and Offensive Language in German User Comments on Immigration. In: Monnier, A., Boursier, A., Seoane, A. (eds) Cyberhate in the Context of Migrations . Postdisciplinary Studies in Discourse. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92103-3_6
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