Is the term "hate speech" a useful one?

Dr Robert Simpson (Monash Philosophy)

Abstract

In a relatively short space of time the term hate speech has transformed from being an awkward coinage in legal discourse, to a widespread piece of critical vocabulary in popular political discussion. The term has been assigned a variety of definitions, both in scholarly discourse and popular discourse, and its proper scope of application is often a matter of controversy. Despite its widespread usage it isn't clear precisely what set of communicative behaviours the term "hate speech" denotes, nor -- to the extent that this issue of scope can be resolved -- whether the communicative behaviours denoted by the term have a shared and distinct set of characteristics that makes it appropriate for us to lump them together. This paper will consider whether, in light of these and related concerns, the term "hate speech" is a useful one, on the balance of considerations. Of course, addressing this primary question will also require us to consider the secondary question: "useful to what ends, exactly?"