Handbook on Cyber Hate

Cyberhate is defined as racist, discriminatory, negationist and violent statements made on social network platforms, text platforms, comment pages, and more. The Handbook on Cyber Hate, the Modern Cyber Evil, includes twenty-seven chapters from scholars representing over fifteen countries from the Global North and the Global South demonstrating a range of multi-faceted perspectives. While providing such a focus, these papers will also operate with a constantly evolving conceptualization of contemporary societies and their modern cyber-evil. Indeed, modern cyber-evil is a global concern and is primarily based on human minds and activities, and on deviant uses of modern technologies, which may differ ideologically, historically and culturally on the global map of modern legal systems. This plurality of perspectives, which poses a challenge to our future, is a strength of this handbook that offers a variety of foundations, legal perspectives, and popular developments in an effort to suggest measures to combat this modern cyber-evil infecting communications around the world.

Editors Anne Wagner and Sarah Marusek offer a unique collection of chapters involving the theoretical foundations, legal perspectives, and societal perspectives from popular culture of modern cyber evil in order to address and combat racism on the basis of alleged race, skin color, nationality, descent and national or ethnic origin, etc.; discrimination/xenophobia on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, religious or philosophical beliefs, health status, physical characteristics, etc.; hatred; violence; e-predation; and e-victimization.

Advance Praise for “Handbook on Cyber Hate – The Modern Cyber Evil”

“In 'Handbook on Cyber Hate – The Modern Cyber Evil', editors Anne Wagner and Sarah Marusek have masterfully created a much-needed resource for understanding the complex and ever-changing landscape of online hate and cyberbullying. This comprehensive handbook delves deep into the murky waters of cyberevil, offering insightful semiotic and transdisciplinary perspectives from a wide range of international scholars. Each chapter deftly navigates the theoretical, legal, and societal dimensions of cyberhate, shedding light on the complex interplay between technology, law, and culture.

The book's exploration of cyber hate is not just academic, but a call to action. It encourages readers, denizens of the digital semiosphere, to recognize and combat the insidious nature of online hate, equipping them with knowledge and strategies for creating a safer digital world. Covering topics from the study of benign exhibitionism, the boundaries between speech and action in cyberhate, legal intricacies of that speech, trolling in social media and hegemonic masculinity, to the cinematic portrayal of cyberbullying and the malicious use of memes: this handbook is a beacon of hope and guidelines in our increasingly digital society.

What sets this handbook apart is its holistic approach. It not only identifies problems, but in many cases inspires solutions, fostering a culture of responsible digital citizenship and empathy. This is not just a book, but a road map for creating a more inclusive and compassionate online community. As we face the challenges of the digital age, 'Handbook on Cyber Hate – The Modern Cyber Evil' is an indispensable handbook for researchers, educators, policy makers and all who seek to understand and combat the complexities of cyber hate. This is a must-read for shaping a more respectful and empathetic digital world.”

Kristian Bankov, Professor of Semiotics, New Bulgarian University

“In the present time of great confusion caused by the blurring of the lines of distinction between the real and virtual worlds, between artificial and human forms of intelligence and even between good and bad technologies representative for expressions of love and hate, the ‘Handbook on Cyber Hate – The Modern Cyber Evil’ brings an urgently needed, comprehensive and transdisciplinary reflection on the evil sides of human activities in cyberspace.”

Rostam J. Neuwirth, Professor of Law and Head of Department of Global Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Macau

“This is a time-critical volume of significance which covers a range of aspects relating to one of the most pernicious social challenges of modern times. Any scholar working in the field needs a copy at hand – essential reading material in an ever-evolving discussion. The range of perspectives and discussions offers a unique critical mass from which to evaluate the progress, the enduring challenge, and the scope for hope in addressing cyberhate.”

Kim Barker, Professor of Law, Lincoln Law School

Prof. Anne Wagner (Ph.D. and Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches in Private Law) is Research Associate Professor at Lille University, ULR 4487- Centre de Recherche Droits et Perspectives du Droit (France). Her main research lies in visual jurisprudence, legal semiotics, visual studies, and law and the Humanities. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the "International Journal for the Semiotics of Law" (Springer), President of the International Roundtables for the Semiotics of Law, Series Co-Editor of "Law, Language and Communication" (Routledge), Series Co-Editor of "Gender, Justice and Legal Feminism", "Law and Visual Jurisprudence" and "Living Signs of Law" (Springer). ORCID: 0000-0001-6362-9023.

Prof. Sarah Marusek (PhD, UMass Amherst, Political Science 2008) is Professor of Public Law at the University of Hawai‘i Hilo (USA). Her research interests in jurisprudence focus on exploring how law works in everyday life. She has published widely in the areas of legal semiotics, legal geography, everyday jurisprudence, constitutive legal theory, and law and society. She is the Associate Editor for the "International Journal for the Semiotics of Law" (Springer), Vice President of the International Roundtables for the Semiotics of Law, and Series Co-Editor of "Law and Visual Jurisprudence" and "Living Signs of Law" (Springer). ORCID : 0000-0002-7589-9503.