Ethnic hatred

Ethnic hatred, inter-ethnic hatred, racial hatred, or ethnic tension refers to notions and acts of prejudice and hostility towards an ethnic group to varying degrees.

It is a form of racial prejudice, based on ethnic origin or region of origin. It can be accompanied by the systematic oppression of the ethnic minority group. Unlike under assimilationism, the ethnicity is often in physical danger (confrontations, dehumanization, pogroms, lynchings, massacres), and can be targeted by apartheid, general hostility or property vandalism. In special cases forced labour, deportation, revocation of human rights, and property looting.

There are multiple origins of ethnic hatred and the resulting ethnic conflicts. In some societies, it is rooted in tribalism, and in other societies, it originates in a history of non-peaceful co-existence and the resulting actual disputed issues. In many countries, incitement to ethnic or racial hatred is a criminal offense. Frequently, ethnic conflict is stoked by nationalist fervor and sentiments of national superiority—for which reason, inter-ethnic hatred borders on racism, and frequently, the two terms are conflated.

Often the minority itself can identify with the nationalism of the majority, claiming to be of different origins but the same nationality (see Neology). The ethnicist narrative often uses stereotypes and predeterministic roles. It can stem from ethnic nationalism. It cannot be compared to nativism, as the question of nationality is definition-dependent. While racism, scientific racism and colorism are based on appearances and the concept of race, ethnicism is instead based on nationalist historical commentary. However, the border between ethnicism and racism are sometimes hard to define, for example, the Hispanic community can defined as both a race and ethnicity.

Various political leaders have exploited and even fueled ethnic hatred in the service of their desire to consolidate their power or make electoral gains by calling for the formation of a united front against a common enemy (real or imaginary).

An example of ethnic hatred is the reported animosity towards the Romani people in Europe. The Romani people, also known as Gypsies, are one of the most marginalized and persecuted ethnic groups in Europe. Jews are also a group typically targeted by right-wing propaganda, both for their ethnicity and religion.

Media persuasion plays a role in the dissemination of ethnic hatred. A media presence spreads underlying messages that negatively portrays certain ethnic groups in the eyes of the public. For example, political elites use media exposure to influence the opinions of the viewers towards a certain propaganda. In Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the media's presence in exposing propaganda in terms of hatred was effectively organized by Joseph Goebbels. Although recent US data (Berelson, Lazarsfeld, and McPhee 1954; Lazarsfeld, Berelson, and Gaudet 1944) shows media as a tool that does not carry "significant independent influence," media "strengthens people's predispositions." Furthermore, exogenous variation plays a role in utilizing media content towards escalating ethnic hatred presence according to recent economic studies. The effects of media on people varies in different platforms strengthening mass medias influence towards the public. Data polled from Muslim countries shows that exposure to Al-Jazeera is associated with higher levels of reported anti-Americanism in contrast to exposure to CNN associating with less anti-Americanism.

There are two types of persuasion: direct and indirect. Direct persuasion with regard to mass media exponentially expands hatred that leads to violence against ethnic groups. Indirect persuasion exports hatred and directs behavior towards the execution of violence.