Hate is on the rise all around the world, as politicians have turned to scapegoating minorities and immigrants in order to bolster their own power. Why is this? Why is it happening now? In this course we will answer these intriguing questions as we examine the scholarly literature on prejudice, discrimination, extreme nationalistic movements, genocide, race, and more. We will also read works that discuss the nearly unique species-specific capacity for compassion among humans, as well as anthropological work showing the cooperative and prosocial nature of early members of our species. These works give us hope that hate is not inevitable and they point the way to possible solutions to contemporary societal ills. The class gives us hope that confronting hate is entirely possible and students will learn basic strategies that we can all carry out to promote a more peaceful and just world.
NOTE: This course is offered 100% online with required meeting times via Zoom as stated.