Description
Book SynopsisWhy does religion inspire hatred? Why do people in one religion sometimes hate people of another religion, and also why do some religions inspire hatred from others?This book shows how scholarly studies of prejudice, identity formation, and genocide studies can shed light on global examples of religious hatred. The book is divided into four parts, focusing respectively on: theories of prejudice and violence; historical developments of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and race; contemporary Western antisemitism and Islamophobia; and, prejudices beyond the West in the Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. Each part ends with a special focus section. Key features include: - A compelling synthesis of theories of prejudice, identity, and hatred to explain Islamophobia and antisemitism. - An innovative theory of human violence and genocide which explains the link to prejudice. - Case studies of both Western antisemitism and Islamophobia in history and today, alongside
Trade ReviewHedges has written a remarkable book, which deserves to be widely read by students of religion, as well as by those who work in community relations. It is accessible and clearly written ... work of scholarship from an expert in interreligious relations. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *
Paul Hedges offers a critical and multidisciplinary contribution to the perennial questions regarding the whence, whither, wherefore, and whereby of religious hatred ... Significantly, he connects antisemitism and Islamophobia together as forms of bias and prejudice (partially explainable through social identity theory). For this, and more, the book is highly commendable ... Indeed, I’ll be employing it in my own classes precisely because of how it opens us up to debate and critical exploration. * Journal of Interreligious Studies *
Religious Hatred is an ambitious book ... No one volume attempting to weave together so much history in so many places can do everything, but Hedges is able to do quite a lot to enter into and further a conversation that, I hope, will remain at the forefront. With Islamophobia and antisemitism on the rise, work like this is crucial. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *
The book is written in straightforward and jargon-free language that makes it suitable for a course book but also relevant for senior scholars and the general public. It is carefully worded with elegant alliterative sentences, inviting the reader to stop and reflect. * TEMENOS: Nordic Journal of Comparative Religion *
I believe the book to be of great worth ... I have learned a lot from it, and will undoubtedly return to it ... Overall, the book offers rich reward for taking the time to read it and think about it. * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books *
Hedges’ book is an excellent resource for educators and scholars hoping to have more nuanced and balanced discussions on the realities of Islamophobia and antisemitism. His book equips his readers with the resources they need not only to conceptually understand what prejudice, hatred and violence are as human phenomena, but also to respond to these challenges with deeper historical awareness and sensitivity. * Current Dialogue *
Table of ContentsPart 1: Why do we Hate? Chapter 1: Race, Religion, Rhetoric: Theories of Prejudice and Othering Chapter 2: The Hatred unto Death: When Prejudice Becomes Killing and Genocide Special Focus: What is Religious Hatred?
Part 2: Bridges from the Past Chapter 3: The Oldest Prejudice? Christian Anti-Semitism from the Gospels to Luther Chapter 4: Kafir and Turks: Christians and Muslims through History Chapter 5: Enlightenment, Citizenship, and Race: The Modern Hatred of Jews, Muslims and People of Colour Special Focus: Why did the Holocaust happen?
Part 3: Contemporary Western Hatreds Chapter 6: The West’s Eternal Jewish Question? Politics, Anti-Semitism, and Holocaust Denial Chapter 7: “Why do they hate us?” and Why do we hate them? Contemporary Western Islamophobias Special Focus: Are Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia Connected?
Part 4: Prejudice Beyond the West Chapter 8: From People of the Book to Enemies of Islam: Islamic Anti-Semitism and Palestine-Israel Chapter 9: Killing for the Buddha: Islamophobia in the Buddhist World Chapter 10: Hindus and the Fatherland: Hindutva as Hatred Special Focus: Can we Regulate Against Religious Hatred? Epilogue: The Good News: Dialogue, Civil Rights, and Peacebuilding Bibliography Index
