Terrorism, Hate, Digital Culture: A Human Rights Approach
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 178
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 178
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$80.00 USD
Ebook
$40.00 USD
Extremism has evolved. It no longer lives at the margins but spreads through everyday digital spaces—memes, social platforms, online games, and institutional blind spots. Terrorism, Hate & Digital Culture offers students a fresh, interdisciplinary lens for understanding and confronting this reality.
Blending insights from criminology, digital culture, human rights, and sociology, this book explores how extremist ideologies gain traction within communities, digital networks, and public-facing institutions. It challenges readers to move beyond outdated post-9/11 frameworks and consider how emotion, misinformation, cultural narratives, and identity are shaping today’s terrorism landscape.
But this is not just a critique; it’s a roadmap. Readers explore strategies for disruption, from Moonshot’s online interventions to the Not In Our Town community model, alongside chapters on restorative justice, gaming culture, and democratic backsliding. The book champions rights-based approaches that emphasize resilience, empathy, and systemic awareness.
With accessible language and rigorous analysis, Terrorism, Hate & Digital Culture is a next-generation reader designed for use in courses across criminal justice, homeland security, political science, media studies, and beyond.
Instructor materials available
Part I War Without Borders: Digital Extremism, Democracy, and Human Rights
1 Bring the War Online: Extremism and the Fight for Democratic Resilience
—Anna King, Georgian Court University
2 The (In)Human Right to Privacy and Freedom of Speech in Gaming Spaces
—Rachel Kowert, University of Cambridge
—Mariana Olaizola Rosenblat, NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights
Part II Unmasking the Roots of Hate and Extremism
3 Hate and Order: Bias, Democracy, and the Digital Lives of Law Enforcement
—Anna King, Georgian Court University
4 Information Disorders and the Perpetuation of Discrimination, Persecution, and Violence
—Jenna MacDonald, Georgian Court University
5 Community Responses to Hate Crime
— Randall Gr ometstein, Fitchburg State University
Part III Framing Complexity: Emotional and Political Dimensions of the Terrorism Risk Environment
6 Terrorism: A Wicked Problem
—John Comiskey, Monmouth University
—Anna King, Georgian Court University
7 Suicide Terrorism: Old Wine in New Bottles
—Michele Muni, Rutgers University
8 Security, Populism, and the Emotions: Understanding the Connections
—Claire Hamilton, Maynooth University
Anna King, Ph.D., is a Professor of Crime & Justice Studies at Georgian Court University in New Jersey and Director of the Criminal Justice & Human Rights program. Her research into political psychology has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She is a former Gates Cambridge Scholar, a Journal of Criminal Psychology editorial advisory board member, and a Howard League Research Medal recipient. Previously, she held appointments at Keele University (UK) and Rutgers University. Her work on the connections between the moral and emotional dimensions of crime policy and research, the psychology of public opinion, and nonviolent extremism has been published in various books and journals.
“At a time when extremist discourse threatens to become mainstream in the United States and beyond, Anna King’s Terrorism, Hate & Digital Culture should be an eye-opener for those still unwilling to recognise a clear and present danger to democracy and human rights.”
—Alex P. Schmid, Distinguished Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, The Hague
“Anna King has created a timely and compelling volume, presenting empirically grounded, policy-relevant chapters that address some of the most challenging aspects of extremism today with breadth, depth, and nuance. The volume will be of particular value to instructors in criminal justice and adjacent social science fields seeking an evidence-based way to introduce students to often-contentious debates.”
—Dr. Peter Romaniuk, Director, Center on Terrorism, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
“With clarity and pedagogical insight, Dr. Anna King orchestrates a cohesive, multidisciplinary narrative that brings structure and purpose to a deeply complex subject. Her work delivers both analytical depth and curricular utility, offering educators a much-needed tool at a time when open-source knowledge is critical and institutional attention to these threats is rapidly eroding. This is a must-read for educators, practitioners, and policymakers navigating today’s complex threat landscape.”
—Dr. Jennifer Hesterman, Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Counterterrorism, Insider Threat, and Soft Target Hardening Expert
“This book provides practical ways for law enforcement to address this problem while protecting civil liberties in modern democracies. This is needed worldwide and should be read by scientists and public safety professionals.”
—Dr. Richard Legault, Senior Science Advisor, Science & Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
“This timely, multidisciplinary text unpacks toxic online cultures and explores human rights-based, restorative responses vital to strengthening democratic communities. Accessible and urgent, this is essential reading for students and the public alike.”
—Marny Requa, J.D., Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
“Each chapter provides a powerful lens to critically examine the sociotechnical factors contributing to the normalization of ideological violence, extremism, and hate in digital spaces. A valuable, timely, and interdisciplinary resource.”
—Dr. Gina Marcello, Rutgers University, School of Communication & Information; Disinformation Detox Coordinator
"Readable, informative, and useful. As a pracademic with over two decades of NYPD service and 35+ years in academia, I always seek the optimum textbook for students. King's volume provides a foundational understanding of real-time problems and makes a worthwhile contribution to the field."
—Dr. Robert Louden, Professor Emeritus, New York Police Department, Chief Hostage Negotiator (Ret.)
"This insightful and academically rigorous book offers a fresh perspective on terrorism and extremism, drawing on rich cases and examples. It provides a valuable contribution to the field while breaking down complex and though-provoking content in an approachable way. Anna King has created an excellent resource for educators, scholars, and practitioners addressing these global challenges."
—Dr. Elena Mastors, Johns Hopkins University, Global Security Studies and Intelligence Studies