SCIENCE OF HATE

Sub-titled 'How Prejudice Becomes Hate and What We Can Do To Stop It', the book asks, are our brains wired to hate? Does online hate incite violence on the streets? With hate crimes at an all-time high, what can we do to help turn the tide? Drawing on 20 years of research as well as his own experience as a hate crime victim, world-renowned criminologist Matthew Williams uncovers the answers to these pressing questions of our age. Exploring evolution and biology as well as social media and global events such as financial meltdowns, worldwide pandemics and even sporting tournaments, he exposes the conditions for hateful behaviour. His journey sees him talking to perpetrators and victims, delving into the murky recesses of the Internet, and having his brain scanned by neuroscientists to reveal the science behind hate. Professor Williams' expert analysis has been fundamental to several high-profile crime TV documentaries on the rise of hate crime and speech and his ability to translate highly complex science into meaningful and accessible journalism to a mass audience is impressive. Traversing the globe and reaching back through time from our tribal ancestors in prehistory to Artificial Intelligence in the 21st century, the book is a surprising examination of the elusive 'tipping point' between prejudice and hate. 429pp in very large softback with diagrams and colour photos.