The Science of Hate

Book excerpt: Why do people hate? A world-leading criminologist explores the tipping point between prejudice and hate crime, analysing human behaviour across the globe and throughout history in this vital book. 'This should be on the curriculum. A must read.' DR JULIE SMITH 'A key text for how we live now.' DAVID BADDIEL 'Wildly engrossing.' DARREN MCGARVEY 'This is a world-changing book.' ALICE ROBERTS 'Fascinating and moving.' PRAGYA AGARWAL Are our brains wired to hate? Is social media to blame for an increase in hateful abuse? With hate on the rise, what can we do to turn the tide? Drawing on twenty years of pioneering research - as well as his own experience as a hate-crime victim - world-renowned criminologist Matthew Williams explores one of the pressing issues of our age. Surveying human behaviour across the globe and reaching back through time, from our tribal ancestors in prehistory to artificial intelligence in the twenty-first century, The Science of Hate is a groundbreaking and surprising examination of the elusive 'tipping point' between prejudice and hate. 'Hate speech online has escalated to unprecedented levels. Matthew Williams, a professor of criminology, is shining a scientific light on who is behind it and why . . . a rallying cry.' OBSERVER 'Fascinating and beautifully written. I heartily recommend it.' HUGO RIFKIND, TIMES RADIO 'Fascinating . . . A harrowing but illuminating work.' EVENING STANDARD 'An indispensable guide to what's gone wrong both here at home and in much of the Western world.' THE HERALD