Publication
Title
Trial and error : hate speech prosecution and its (unintended) effects on democratic support
Author
Abstract
Due to its controversial nature, hate speech prosecution of anti-immigration politicians is likely to affect citizens' democratic support. Using a web experiment in which participants are exposed to a manipulated television news story about hate speech prosecution, we test these potential effects in the Dutch context. We demonstrate that effects on democratic support are driven by (dis)agreement with ideas expressed by the prosecuted politician in his alleged hate speech rather than by identification with his party. While a decision tonotprosecute a politician does not seem to affect democratic support, a decision to prosecute a politician for hate speech decreases democratic support among citizens with anti-immigration attitudes, and increases democratic support among citizens with pro-immigration attitudes. Decisions to prosecute politicians for hate speech thus have important effects not just on supporters of the politician's party, but also on other groups in society.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Acta politica : international journal of political science. - Meppel, 1965, currens
Publication
Basingstoke : Palgrave macmillan ltd , 2022
ISSN
0001-6810 [print]
1741-1416 [online]
DOI
10.1057/S41269-020-00177-1
Volume/pages
57 :1 (2022) , p. 143-166
ISI
000567443200002
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 12.03.2024
Last edited 13.03.2024
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