Hate crimes in deeply divided societies: the case of Northern Ireland

Evidence of hate crime is easy to find in deeply divided societies. Yet a number of factors may mask or restrain the incidence of hate crime. The dynamic of a violent conflict, levels of residential segregation and the monopolization of violence by organized groups (paramilitaries) may all restrain levels of hate crime or make it less visible. This paper investigates this masking of hate crime in deeply divided societies with particular reference to Northern Ireland. It also argues that a complex motivational environment surrounds issues of violence, including hate crime, in deeply divided societies and that simplistic views of hate crime may not be helpful.