Do the terms hate, hate speech, and hate crimes mean the same thing? Where are the limits of freedom of expression—and what consequences can we face for crossing them? Participants of another meeting in the “Scientific Wednesdays at UWM” series had the chance to explore these questions. The guest speaker was Dr Maciej Duda from the Faculty of Law and Administration.
“Scientific Wednesdays at UWM” is a series of open lectures delivered by researchers from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. Its goal is to share knowledge on issues that concern us all. This time (on 4 March), a scholar from the Department of Criminology and Forensics discussed the legal, criminological, victimological, and social aspects of hate speech.
Where does freedom of speech end?
One of the key questions that arises whenever freedom of speech is discussed is where its boundaries lie. Dr Duda therefore began his lecture with a quotation from Ulpian, a Roman jurist—one that, in his view, remains surprisingly relevant today and helps to explain the moment when freedom of expression turns into harm inflicted on another person.
“The precepts of the law are these: to live honourably, not to injure another, to give each person what is due to them.”
As Dr Duda explained, in contemporary terms this means that the boundary of our rights is the right of another person. Put differently: one person’s freedom ends where another person’s freedom begins.
Hate is not new—yet the internet amplifies it
What we now call “hate” is not a new phenomenon. However, the internet has undeniably contributed to its spread, giving users an illusory sense of anonymity—and, as a result, more courage to publish, for example, hateful comments.
Dr Duda reminded the audience that hate can be understood as a broad range of aggressive or hostile behaviours aimed at insulting, humiliating, or slandering individuals and groups. It may take the form of trolling, cyberbullying, defamation, insult, or hate speech.
He also pointed out that crime has increasingly moved online.
In his words, many offences are now committed in the virtual world—sometimes crimes that can occur only online, and sometimes those transferred from the offline world into cyberspace.
Hate, hate speech, hate crimes: not the same thing
Dr Duda emphasised that hate—unlike hate crimes, which include hate speech—is not a legal term.
Hate has become a social concept, widely used in the media and everyday language. Therefore, hate and hate speech cannot always be treated as equal.
From words to violence: the “Pyramid of Hate”
When discussing hate and hate speech, it is impossible to ignore their consequences—which can be tragic, both for individuals and for entire nations or ethnic groups. Dr Duda argued that the path from words to actions can be very short, referring to the Pyramid of Hate developed by American psychologist Gordon Allport.
The process begins with language—words and hate speech. It may then escalate into ostracism, alienation, rejection of certain social groups, followed by overt discrimination, and ultimately physical violence and even extermination.
As Dr Duda noted, history provides painful examples: the Second World War, and later events as well. One of the most striking cases demonstrating the devastating consequences of hate speech is the genocide in Rwanda, which—in essence—was preceded by a radio broadcast that incited hatred and defamed people of Tutsi origin.
“Don’t be indifferent”—and react early
The appeal not to remain indifferent may sound like a cliché, but in the context of hate it becomes crucial. Dr Duda argued that the only effective way to stop this phenomenon is to counteract it.
He referred to the criminological “broken windows” theory: if someone breaks a window in a newly built block of flats or sprays graffiti on a wall, it must be addressed immediately—otherwise the behaviour escalates. The same applies to social relations: if we do not respond quickly, minor incidents may grow into misdemeanours, crimes, and—in the worst cases—tragic acts of violence.
He also mentioned practical ways of responding, including: shaping positive social attitudes, recognising disinformation, intervention by online administrators (removing hateful content or accounts), and reporting specific incidents to law enforcement.
Discussion after the lecture
After the talk—following the tradition of “Scientific Wednesdays at UWM”—the audience took the floor. Judging by the questions, a major concern among participants was hate coming from politicians. Attendees did not hesitate to mention specific names of those in power, arguing that irresponsible statements not only lower the quality of public debate but also worsen social moods.
One participant raised the issue of growing polarisation fuelled—according to him—by representatives of Poland’s two largest political parties. He asked Dr Duda whether anything could stop these divisions.
Dr Duda responded that politicians sometimes use hate speech intentionally, relying on sensational and controversial messages to win voters. As he noted, populism and hate can become a recipe for political success—though he expressed hope that this will change and that people will ultimately be able to “shake hands” regardless of political preferences. He stressed that society should not allow itself to be divided by politicians.
Further reading and upcoming meetings
Those who would like to expand their knowledge on the issues discussed can reach for publications by the Department of Criminology and Forensics on hate crimes, including:
- Hate Crimes: A Study in Criminal Law and Criminology
- Hate Speech and the Law in the Context of Contemporary Socio-Political Phenomena
During the next open lecture organised by the UWM Centre for Marketing and Media (18 March), participants will meet Prof. Jerzy Czołgoszewski (Faculty of Social Sciences), who will discuss what happens to a person in prison.
The first meeting in the series, held on 18 February, focused on nutrition. Prof. Katarzyna Przybyłowicz (Faculty of Food Sciences) and Dr Małgorzata Obara-Gołębiowska (Faculty of Social Sciences) spoke about how to make diet “less like black magic” and how to navigate calories and macronutrients without losing one’s mind. A report from that meeting is available on the University of Warmia and Mazury website.
All lectures take place at the UWM University Library and are open to everyone.
