Hate speech is a growing phenomenon across the world. As a manifestation of intolerance and hatred towards certain groups in society, hate speech is intertwined with hate crimes and discrimination, representing a threat to sustainable peace and social cohesion.
Because of the impact hate speech has on both on victims and societies at large, it is of utmost importance to address and counter it in a comprehensive way, at both individual and State level. Despite growing attention to hate speech, many still underestimate or do not fully grasp the consequences of it.
With these considerations in mind, UNICRI and the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI) are launching the first edition of the Autumn School on Hate Speech, which will be delivered online, from 3 to 7 October 2022.
The course is intended for university and post-graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, media and other professionals, including United Nations (UN) personnel, as well as anyone interested in gaining an understanding of hate speech, how it manifests itself and what tools are available to combat it.
Special focus will be given to various dimensions of hate speech and fake news, including the contemporary challenges linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the role of social media in war and political propaganda campaigns. The existing international legal and policy frameworks will be examined with a view to improve participants’ ability to address the issue in a comprehensive way and promote their role as advocates for an effective change in public policies, strategies and practices. More specifically, the curriculum of the course may focus on:
- The difference between hate speech and freedom of expression
- The nexus between hate speech and discrimination and hate crime
- An overview of the international legal framework and human rights standards used to counter hate speech
- Proposing a counternarrative to hate speech
- Tools to monitor and respond to hate speech, including the role of media
- The role of fake news in fueling hate speech and the link between fake-news, misinformation and hate speech
- Hate speech and misinformation in pandemics: anti-scientific propaganda during the Covid19 crisis
- The role of social media hate and disinformation in war and political propaganda campaigns
- Debunking as a method of uncovering hate speech, disinformation and fake news
The Autumn School offers professional, legal, social, scientific and academic perspectives through live webinars, group discussions, dynamic case studies, individual readings, and practical exercises. The faculty is composed of leading scholars and academics from leading universities, representatives of the United Nations system, international human rights bodies and the civil society.
Through a dedicated online platform, participants will have the opportunity to interact with international recognized experts and peers from all over the world, so to build lasting professional relationships. This experience fosters intercultural dialogue and promotes a deeper understanding of some of the world’s most complex and debated issues.
Course methodology
This course is delivered online. It combines live webinars in our virtual classroom, led by subject matter experts, with self-paced activities and interactive group discussions.
The live webinars are conducted on a dedicated online platform. Participants need a computer (recommended) or a mobile device with audio and video capabilities, a headset with microphone to connect to the audio through the computer or mobile device, as well as a reliable internet connection. We recommend accessing audio through the computer. No special software is required. Upon acceptance to the course, participants will be provided with the information to access the platform.
The live webinars are from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm Rome-time (8:30am - 11:30am New York-time), from Monday to Friday.
Entry requirements
The course is intended for university and post-graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, media and other professionals, including United Nations (UN) personnel, as well as anyone interested in gaining an understanding of hate speech, how it manifests itself and what tools are available to combat it.
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- hold a three-year university degree issued by an internationally recognized university;
- have a very good working knowledge of English.
Applications from students who expect to graduate at the end of the 2022/23 academic year are welcomed.
Certificate of participation
Upon attendance of all live webinars and completion of the course activities and assignments, participants will receive a United Nations and SIOI certificate of participation.
How to register
How to apply
- Application deadline: completed application form must be sent to unicri.courses@un.org and formint@sioi.org by 28 September 2022
- Confirmation of acceptance: the results of the selection process will be communicated via e-mail, within 5 working days following receipt of the application, and no later than 29 September 2022
- Payment deadline: full payment has to be finalized within 1 week following confirmation of acceptance, and no later than 30 September 2022 (i.e. candidates should provide UNICRI and SIOI with proof of payment via e-mail to unicri.courses@un.org and formint@sioi.org).
Download the Application form:
Contacts
Email: unicri.courses@un.org - formint@sioi.org (please indicate “Hate Speech” in the subject of the email)
UNICRI: +39 011 6537157 or +39 011 6537111
SIOI: +39 06 6920781
