B9. Love Thy Neighbor: Hate Crimes and Hate Speech in America

This course will examine hate crimes and hate speech in America from a historical, sociological, and legal perspective. Topics will include the elements of hate crimes, the history and sociology of hate crimes in America, trends in the incidents of hate crimes, the role of white supremacist and other groups, and legal issues in the enforcement of laws applicable to hate crimes.

The last two classes will focus on hate speech as protected speech under the First Amendment, the boundaries of such protection where speech incites violence, and constitutional issues raised by efforts to restrict hate speech in schools, on campuses, in social media, and in other contexts.    

John S. Ross, III holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law and served as Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington & Lee University.  He has taught a number of courses in the WISE Program on constitutional law topics.

Optional books:  

Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies (4th Ed), by Phyllis B. Gerstenfield. SAGE Publications 2018. ISBN 978-1506345444

Hateland: A Long, Hard Look at America’s Extremist Heart, by Daryl Johnson. Prometheus 2019. ISBN: 978-163388516