This text explores two forms of hate and prejudice – racism in contemporary American society and the historical occurrence of anti-Semitism – under a single conceptual framework.
Jack Levin, is a well-known scholar, author, and lecturer on the subject of hate crimes. In this book he shows how support for both racism and anti-Semitism can be conceptualized as occurring among four groups: hatemongers, dabblers, sympathizers, and spectators. Levin argues that hate and prejudice continue at a very dangerous level in our society, and that hate typically emanates not from the ranting and raving of a few people at the margins of society, but from ordinary people in the mainstream.
Jim Nolan , new to this edition, is an Associate Professor at West Virginia University, and a former FBI agent, specializing in hate crimes and prejudice.
JACK LEVIN, Ph.D. is the Irving and Betty Brudnick Professor of Sociology and Criminology and co-director of the Brudnick Center on Conflict and Violence at Northeastern University, where he teaches courses in prejudice and violence. He has authored or co-authored 30 books and hundreds of articles in professional journals and columns in newspapers, such as The New York Times, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. He appears frequently on national television programs, including 48 Hours, 20/20, Dateline NBC, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah, Rivera Live, Larry King Live, and all network newscasts. Dr. Levin was honored by the Massachusetts Council for Advancement and Support of Education as its “Professor of the Year," and was the recipient of the American Sociological Association's 2009 Public Understanding of Sociology Award. He has spoken to a wide variety of community, academic, and professional groups, including the White House Conference on Hate Crimes, the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
JIM NOLAN is an associate professor in the Division of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University where he teaches courses on the topic of deviance and hate crime. His research currently focuses on community policing, intergroup relations, and the measurement of hate crimes and other crimes that are reported to the police. Dr. Nolan’s professional career began as a police officer in Wilmington, Delaware. He is a 1992 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy. Just prior to joining the faculty at West Virginia University, Dr. Nolan worked for the FBI as a unit chief in the Crime Analysis, Research and Development Unit that provided management oversight for the National Hate Crime Data Collection Program. He was recently involved in a project sponsored by the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to implement hate crime reporting throughout Europe. His recent publications have appeared in the American Behavioral Scientist, Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, The Justice Professional, Policing & Society, Criminal Justice Studies, Homicide Studies, Journal of Criminal Justice, and The American Sociologist. Dr. Nolan earned a Ph.D. from Temple University. His graduate work focused on the study of group and social processes.
