DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINOLOGY 4143A - HATE CRIME
WINTER SEMESTER 2010
M, 2:30pm-5:20pm/MMH 309

Dr. Michael Boudreau

Office: Brian Mulroney Hall, Room 404
Office Hours: Wednesday, 12:30-3:00pm, or by appointment.
Office Phone: 452-0501
E-Mail: mboudreau@stu.ca
Website: http://www.stu.ca/academic/crim/boudreau/index.htm

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Remember - Every criminal, gambler, thug, libertine, home wrecker, wife beater, dope peddler, moonshiner, every crooked politician, white slaver, shyster, lawyer...and every black spider is fighting the Klan. Think it over. Which side are you on? (Ku Klux Klan, Halifax, 1932)

The man who misjudges and disregards the racial laws actually forfeits the happiness that seems destined to be his. He thwarts the triumphal march of the best race and hence also the precondition for all human progress. (Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf)

Whites are civilization creators, Orientals are civilization maintainers, and Blacks are civilization destroyers. (Wolfgang Droege, former leader of The Heritage Front, 1993)
We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children. (“14 Words”, White supremacist slogan)

Criminology 4143A is a seminar course which explores the historical and contemporary incidence of hate crime and hate speech, and the laws that have been implemented to combat these crimes. This course will provide an in-depth examination of why hate crime and hate speech occurs, the targets and victims of hate crime and hate speech, the composition of hate groups, and the response of the State, especially the criminal justice system, and society, notably non-governmental organizations and the media, to hate crime and hate speech.

Criminology 4143A will also assess the impact that hate crime and hate speech have had upon victims, the law, culture, politics, and society. This course will pay particular attention to the ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, and class dimensions of the victims of hate crime and hate speech, and of the movements and individuals who perpetrate these crimes.

A series of seminar discussions, oral presentations, written assignments, and documentaries, will allow students to critically analyze and debate hate crime and hate speech, along with the laws that prohibit them.

PREREQUISITES
The prerequisites for this course are Criminology 1006, 2253, 3013, and 3023, or permission of the professor.

REQUIRED TEXT
Neil Chakraborti and Jon Garland, Hate Crime: Impact, Causes and Responses (Sage, 2009). This book may be purchased at the University Bookstore.

REQUIRED READINGS
The seminar readings for this course will be distributed in class on a weekly basis.

GRADING & DUE DATES
Seminar Participation: 25%
Hate Crime Law Report: 15% (Due: Monday, 8 February 2010, at 2:30pm)
Hate Speech Case Report: 20% (Due: Monday, 8 March 2010, at 2:30pm)
Oral Presentation: 10% (Monday, 22 & 29 March 2010)
Research Paper: 30% (Due: Monday, 12 April 2010, at 2:30pm)

GRADING SCHEME
All of the assignments for Criminology 4143A will be assigned a grade according to the Criminology & Criminal Justice Department’s grading structure:
A+ (90% + )
A (85-89%)
A- (80-84%)
B+ (77-79%)
B (74-76%)
B- (70-73%)
C+ (67-69%)
C (64-66%)
C- (60-63%)
D (50-59%)
F (Below 50%)

Students may consult the 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Pages 282-283) for a detailed definition of these letter grades, as well as their corresponding grade points. The Calendar is available at http://w3.stu.ca/stu/administrative/registrar/services/calendar.aspx

DEADLINES & EXTENSIONS
The deadlines for this course will be strictly enforced. Each assignment must be submitted directly to me during class time. I will not accept a written assignment outside of the regularly scheduled time for this course.

All written assignments must be submitted in hard-copy format. I will not accept a written assignment in an e-mail attachment.

Students will be assessed a late penalty of 10% of each assignment’s value for each day that the assignment is overdue. This includes weekends and holidays. Extensions will only be granted with a valid medical excuse. Otherwise, extensions will not be given.

DISABILITY
If you have a learning disability, please bring it to my attention immediately. We will then discuss any arrangements that must be made with the Co-ordinator of Services for Student Accessibility for completing the oral presentation and the written assignments for this course. For more information, please consult the “Policy on Students with Disabilities” in the 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Pages 291-292).

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CLASSROOM CONDUCT
In an effort to promote a sound academic culture, both professors and students should approach their roles in a professional manner. According to the 2009-2010 Calendar, St. Thomas “is dedicated to free and reasoned discussion, to critical debate, and to the exploration of diverse and competing ideas. Students can expect to be encouraged to participate actively in classes, to enter into intellectual debate, and to have their contributions treated respectfully by their instructors. Instructors can expect students to attend class regularly and to come prepared to contribute effectively to the work of the class. Students can expect their instructors to terminate verbal and other behaviour in the classroom that is not respectful of others. Instructors can expect students to cooperate in the maintenance of a climate that is free from personal intimidation, insult, and harassment.” (Pages 10-11)

Given the sensitive nature of the material in this course, students should be especially vigilant in allowing everyone in the class the opportunity to express their views and to respect the opinions of their colleagues.

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CLASS ATTENDANCE
It is important for students to know that class attendance is something that I take very seriously. Indeed, frequent absences from this class, without a valid excuse, will detrimentally affect a student’s academic standing in Criminology 4143A.

As the 2009-2010 Calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students at all classes. In general, the responsibility for meeting this obligation rests with the student. It is the responsibility of students to notify their instructors when they expect to be, or have been, absent from class for any justifiable reason...It is the prerogative of the instructor to determine when a student’s scholastic standing in any course is being affected adversely by repeated absences.” (Emphasis added. Page 278)

DISMISSAL FROM THE COURSE
As the 2009-2010 Calendar notes, a “student may be required to withdraw from a course for repeated absences.” The procedures that I will follow in order to dismiss a student from this course appear on page 280 of the 2009-2010 Calendar.

UNIVERSITY REGULATION ON ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM
Laptop computers and “other electronic devices are not to be used in class for activities unrelated to the class.” (Page 278) Moreover, students may not use tape recorders, or other electronic devices, to record seminar discussions or oral presentations. Students are also not permitted to send text messages during class.

SEMINAR PARTICIPATION
This portion of Criminology 4143A is worth 25% of the final mark. The readings for each seminar are contained in Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, and will be distributed in class on a weekly basis.

The seminar readings are intended to facilitate discussion and debate on a range of key topics and themes in the study of hate crime and hate speech.

Students are required to complete all of the assigned readings before each seminar and to actively participate in the discussions. All of the 25% will be determined on the basis of a student’s ability to offer their critical interpretation of the readings and to contribute to the seminar discussion in an intelligent and constructive manner.

Those students who do not participate, on a continuous basis, in the seminar discussions, will not receive a passing grade in this portion of Criminology 4143A. Moreover, frequent absences from class will significantly reduce a student’s seminar participation mark.

HATE CRIME LAW REPORT
Due: Monday, 8 February 2010, at 2:30pm. This assignment is worth 15% of the final mark. It will familiarize students with some of the national and international laws that govern hate crimes.

In a minimum of FOUR (4) and a maximum of FIVE (5) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the works cited section or bibliography, students must select TWO (2) hate crime laws and compare and contrast how these laws define and punish hate crime, along with the individuals, groups, and categories, that are protected by these laws. This report should also outline when and why these laws were adopted.

Please note that in addition to the hate crime laws, students must utilize TWO (2) academic sources (books published by academic presses and articles in academic journals), to complete this assignment. Most websites, encyclopedias (printed and on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

A hand-out for this assignment is posted on WebCT.

HATE SPEECH CASE REPORT
Due: Monday, 8 March 2010, at 2:30pm. This assignment is worth 20% of the final mark. It will introduce students to an important case in Canada’s efforts to deal with hate speech and the enforcement of the Canadian Human Rights Act governing hate messages.

In a minimum of EIGHT (8) and a maximum of TEN (10) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the works cited section or bibliography, students must critically assess the decision in the case of Richard Warman and Canadian Human Rights Commission and Northern Alliance and Jason Ouwendyk, before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. The text of this decision is available at http://chrt-tcdp.gc.ca/search/files/t1216_2807chrt10.pdf

On 13 March 2009, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that Mr. Jason Ouwendyk and the Northern Alliance had communicated hate messages in violation of Section 13 (1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Students must decide whether or not the decision, and the remedies, in this case were warranted and in accordance with the provisions of the Canadian Human Rights Act. They must also decide if the internet postings made by Mr. Ouwendyk and the Northern Alliance were likely to expose members of the targeted groups to hatred or contempt and thus constituted a discriminatory practice.

Students must also analyze the implications of this decision for the protection of freedom of opinion and expression under Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Please note that in addition to the Tribunal’s decision, students must utilize THREE (3) academic sources (books published by academic presses and articles in academic journals), to complete this assignment.

Most websites, encyclopedias (printed and on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

A hand-out for this assignment is posted on WebCT.

ORAL PRESENTATION
This portion of Criminology 4143A is worth 10% of the final mark. The oral presentations will be given in class on Monday, 22 and 29 March 2010. Each student is required to give a TEN (10) minute presentation to the class based upon their research topic. Students must use the same topic for their Oral Presentation and Research Paper.

Students should introduce their topic, explain why it is a hate crime or an example of hate speech, outline the relevance of the topic to the study of hate crime and/or hate speech, along with their tentative thesis and conclusion. Students will be assessed on the clarity and organization of their presentation, in addition to their understanding of the topic and the strength of their research.

There will be a brief class discussion at the conclusion of the each student’s oral presentation. This discussion will be considered as part of students’ overall seminar participation.

Those students who are unable to give their presentation on the assigned date, due to a medical emergency, will give their presentation during the next class.

A hand-out for the oral presentation is posted on WebCT.

RESEARCH PAPER
Due: Monday, 12 April 2010, at 2:30pm. Research Papers will not be accepted after this date and time without a valid medical excuse. This assignment is worth 30% of the final mark. It will broaden students’ knowledge of a specific hate crime and/or hate speech topic.

Students may choose any topic which focuses on hate crime and/or hate speech. Topics may include, but are not limited to: hate crime or hate speech laws; significant hate crime or hate speech trials; victims of hate crimes and/or hate speech; hate groups and/or their leaders; and the cultural representations of hate groups.

Students must, in a minimum of EIGHTEEN (18) and a maximum of TWENTY-FIVE (25) double-spaced, type-written pages (12pt. font), which does not include the title page, references, and the works cited section or bibliography, present a well written and cogently argued analysis of their topic. This analysis must include a discussion of the topic’s influence upon the understanding of hate crime and/or hate speech and its impact upon the law and society generally.

Students must only use academic sources to complete the Research Paper. Most websites, encyclopedias (printed or on-line versions, such as Wikipedia), and magazine articles, are not academic sources, and thus will not be accepted for this assignment.

In addition to academic sources, students must use at least TWO (2) primary research documents to complete this assignment. Examples of primary research documents include, but are not limited to: The Criminal Code of Canada; The Canadian Human Rights Act; The Charter of Rights and Freedoms; The United Nations Charter on Human Rights; Newspapers; Royal Commissions; Public Inquiries; Judicial and Tribunal Decisions; Police and Government Reports on hate crime and hate speech; Laws and Acts that prohibit hate crime and hate speech; and literature and websites from hate groups and organizations devoted to fighting hate crime and hate speech.

A hand-out for this assignment is posted on WebCT.

WRITING STYLE
Writing style and presentation count for a great deal in terms of assessing a student’s final mark. The proper use of grammar, punctuation, and references, as well as correct spelling, must be followed when completing the written assignments for this course. Each assignment for Criminology 4143A must have a Title Page, References (APA, Footnotes, or Endnotes), and a Works Cited section, or a Bibliography.

If a student submits a written assignment which does not contain references (APA, Footnotes, or Endnotes), they will receive a grade of ZERO (0%) on that assignment.

Students are encouraged to speak with me about any difficulties that they may encounter while preparing their written assignments for this course. Similarly, once an assignment has been graded, I will only discuss a student’s mark with them in person, in my office, not over the phone or via e-mail. Students should make an appointment with me to discuss their mark.

As part of this discussion, students must come prepared with a cogently written argument as to why their grade on a particular assignment should be changed.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT (PLAGIARISM)
Students must not commit PLAGIARISM. Plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct which can result in FAILURE in this course, or expulsion from the University, if it has been determined that a student has plagiarized a written assignment.

In essence, plagiarism is using the research and ideas of others, without properly acknowledging their work with quotation marks and/or references.

The 2009-2010 St. Thomas University Calendar (Page 285) states that plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
1. Presenting another person’s ideas, words, or other intellectual property, including material found on the internet, as one’s own.
2. Writing an essay, report or assignment, or a portion thereof, for someone else to submit as their own work.
3. Submitting an essay, report, or assignment when a major portion has been previously submitted or is being submitted for another course at St. Thomas or any other university without the express permission of both instructors.

Purchasing an essay from a website, or from another person, and submitting it as original work, is also a form of plagiarism.

The procedures that will be followed in cases of plagiarism are outlined on pages 285-287 of the 2009-2010 Calendar. Students should also consult the University’s Policy on Academic Misconduct, which is available at: http://w3.stu.ca/stu/administrative/vp_academic/_content/academic_misconduct.pdf

CRIMINOLOGY RESOURCES
The Harriet Library (www.lib.unb.ca) is the central library on the STU/UNB campus. Students can search its main catalogue, Quest, for a variety of criminology resources. In particular, students should consult the section “Subject and Course Guides”, which appears on the Library’s website. Once there, select Criminology as a subject, and a variety of resources will appear. A link to this subject guide is posted on WebCT.

Marc Bragdon is the Criminology Librarian. Please feel free to speak with him about your research projects. His office hours for the Winter Semester are Wednesday, 10:00am-Noon, room 317D in the library. If you cannot locate his office, please ask for assistance at the Research Help Desk on the main floor of the library.

Appointments may also be made with Mr. Bradgon. His e-mail address is mbragdon@unb.ca.

The Gerard V. La Forest Law Library (http://lawlibrary.unbf.ca) is located on the second floor of Ludlow Hall on the UNB campus. The Law Library is an excellent source of research material for this course. In particular, students should consult the e-Resources category which appears on the library’s website.

The Criminal Code of Canada is also available at the Law Library and on-line at: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/index.html.

HATE CRIME WEBSITES
These websites are devoted to monitoring and studying hate crime and hate speech:
Amnesty International: http://www.amnesty.org.
Anti-Defamation League, Combatting Hate: http://www.adl.org/combating_hate/
B’nai Brith Canada: http://www.bnaibrith.ca/
Canadian Human Rights Commission: http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/default-en.asp
Canadian Race Relations Foundation: http://www.crr.ca.
FBI Hate Crimes: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/hate.htm.
Hate Crimes Community Working Group: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/news/2005/HCCWG-ToR.asp.
Human Rights First: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/
Human Rights Research and Education Centre: http://www.cdp-hrc.uottawa.ca/links/sitescan_e.html.
Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org.
Southern Poverty Law Centre: http://www.splcenter.org/index.jsp

RESEARCH SOURCES ON COURSE RESERVE
Students should consult the books which are on course reserve in the Harriet and Law Libraries for Criminology 4143A. These books contain relevant information, and bibliographies, on hate crime and hate speech, and the laws that prohibit them.

ACADEMIC JOURNALS
These academic journals, which are located in the Harriet and Law Libraries, either in e-Journal or text-based formats, contain important articles on hate crime and hate speech:
American Behavioural Scientist
American Journal of Criminal Justice
British Journal of Sociology
Canadian Ethnic Studies
Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Canadian Journal of Law and Society
Canadian Journal of Political Science
Canadian Journal of Sociology
Canadian Journal of Women and the Law
Canadian Review of Sociology & Anthropology
Contemporary Justice Review
Crime & Justice
Criminal Justice Matters
Criminal Justice Studies
Criminology
Criminology & Public Policy
Critical Criminology
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice
International Journal of Comparative Criminology
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
International Journal of the Sociology of Law
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
Journal of Criminal Justice & Popular Culture
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
Journal of Hate Studies
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Journal of Political and Military Sociology
Journal of Social Issues
Law and Society Review
Social Forces
Social Problems
Terrorism and Political Violence
Theoretical Criminology
Victimology
Violence Against Women
Women and Criminal Justice


 COURSE SCHEDULE

Students must complete all of the assigned readings for each seminar. These readings include Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime and supplemental readings which will be distributed in class on a weekly basis.

THIS COURSE SCHEDULE & ITS CONTENTS
ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE PROFESSOR’S DISCRETION!

1. Monday, 18 January 2010

CONCEPTUALIZING HATE CRIME, HATE SPEECH, & THEIR PERPETRATORS
Readings
Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapters 1, 2, and 8.

DOCUMENTARY - HEARTS OF HATE

2. Monday, 25 January 2010

THE IMPACT OF HATE CRIME & HATE SPEECH
Readings

Robert J. Boeckmann and Carolyn Yurpin-Petrosino, “Understanding the Harm of Hate Crime.” Journal of Social Issues 58, 2 (2002): 207-225.

Paul Iganski, “Hate Crimes Hurt More.” American Behavioural Scientist 45, 4 (December 2001): 626-638.

3. Monday, 1 February 2010

IDEOLOGIES OF HATE
Readings

Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapter 3.

Warren Kinsella, “The Encouragement of Malcolm Ross.” Web of Hate: Inside Canada’s Far Right Network (Harper Collins, 2001), 365-391.

Barbara Perry, “‘White Genocide’: White Supremacists and the Politics of Reproduction.” In Home-Grown Hate, Abby L. Ferber, ed. (Routledge, 2004), 75-95.

4. Monday, 8 February 2010

RAHOWA: MODERN HATE GROUPS
Readings

Stanley Barrett, “The role of violence in the far right in Canada.” In Racial, ethnic and homophobic violence, Michel Prum, Benedicte Deschamps and Marie-Claude Barbier, eds. (Routledge, 2007), 73-81.

Joshua D. Freilich, Steven M. Chermak, and David Caspi, “Critical events in the life trajectories of domestic extremist white supremacist groups.” Criminology & Public Policy 8, 3 (2009): 497-527.

DOCUMENTARY - SKINHEADS, RACE WAR

HATE CRIME LAW REPORTS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 2:30pm!

5. Monday, 15 February 2010

HATE CRIMES AGAINST THE “OTHER”
Readings

Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapter 6.

Barry Perry, “The Forgotten Victims: Hate Crimes against Native Americans.” Silent Victims (University of Arizona Press, 2008), 75-100.

David Fraser, “Roma sacer: Constructing the ‘Gypsy other’ in British political and legal discourse.” In Racial, ethnic and homophobic violence, Michel Prum, Benedicte Deschamps and Marie-Claude Barbier, eds. (Routledge, 2007), 95-106.

DOCUMENTARY - SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL

6. Monday, 22 February 2010

“HOMO-CIDE” AGAINST “QUEERS”:
GAYS, LESBIANS, & TRANS-GENDERED PERSONS
Readings

Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapters 4 and 5.

Dawn Moore and Angus MacLean Rennie, “Hated Identities: Queers and Canadian Anti-hate Legislation.” Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice 48, 5 (September 2006): 823-836.

Eva Tiby, “Constructions of Homophobic Hate Crimes: Definitions, Decisions, Data.” Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention 8 (2007): 114-137.

DOCUMENTARY - THE LARAMIE PROJECT

7. Monday, 1 March 2010

MID-TERM BREAK - CLASS IS CANCELLED!

8. Monday, 8 March 2010

HATE SPEECH, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, & THE LAW
Readings

Kathleen Mahoney, “Hate Vilification Legislation and Freedom of Expression: Where is the Balance?” Australian Journal of Human Rights 1, 1 (1994): 353-369.

Stephen L. Newman, “American and Canadian Perspectives on Hate Speech and the Limits of Free Expression.” In Constitutional Politics in Canada and the United States, Stephen L. Newman, ed. (State University of New York Press, 2004), 153-173.

HATE SPEECH CASE REPORTS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 2:30pm!

9. Monday, 15 March 2010

POLICING HATE CRIME
Readings

Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapter 7.

Jeannine Bell, “The Decision to Seek Charges.” Policing Hatred (New York University Press, 2002), 134-159.

Karen Franklin, “Good Intentions: The Enforcement of Hate Crime Penalty-Enhancement Statutes.” American Behavioural Scientist 46, 1 (2002): 154-172.

10. Monday, 22 March 2010

STUDENTS’ ORAL PRESENTATIONS!

11. Monday, 29 March 2010

STUDENTS’ ORAL PRESENTATIONS!

12. Monday, 5 April 2010

EASTER MONDAY - CLASS IS CANCELLED!

13. Monday, 12 April 2010

RESPONDING TO & COMBATTING HATE CRIME & HATE SPEECH
Readings

Chakraborti and Garland, Hate Crime, Chapter 9.

Robert B. Coates, Mark S. Umbriet, and Betty Vos, “Responding to Hate Crimes through Restorative Justice Dialogue.” Contemporary Justice Review 9,1 (2006): 7-21.

RESEARCH PAPERS ARE DUE IN CLASS AT 2:30pm!

RESEARCH PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE & TIME WITHOUT A VALID MEDICAL EXCUSE!

FINAL CLASS FOR CRIMINOLOGY 4143A!

Criminology / Faculty / STU Homepage