The aim of this international study, in which the Human Rights Monitoring Institute participated, is to analyse hate discourses and practices in terms of concepts, European and national standards, objectives, actors, anti-discrimination policies and good practices.
It examines the emergence and manifestations of Euroscepticism in countries where Euro-optimistic and Euro-realist sentiments prevail.
It also examines civic activism as a key factor in combating hateful discourses and practices and promoting European values of respect for differences, freedom, equality and human dignity.
These objectives were common to the whole “Active European Citizens against Hate Speech” benchmarking project and were reflected in all national research reports.
The synthesis report provides a comparative perspective that highlights common trends, features and differences in relation to hate speech, Euroscepticism and citizenship in two geopolitical regions and six countries, i.e. the three Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – and the three Balkan countries – Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.
The project addresses polarised issues and identities, such as hatred and civic activism to combat hatred.
The study reveals different polarised images: civic activists see their opponents as extremists and hatemongers, while the latter see themselves as nationalists and/or patriots.
A communicative dialogical approach helps to understand and explain these different images.
The study concludes with recommendations for the EU and its Member States on combating hate speech, reducing Euroscepticism and increasing citizen participation.
The Human Rights Monitoring Institute carried out the Lithuanian part of the study.
The national report is available here.
The survey was carried out in the framework of the project “Active European Citizens Against Hate”.
The aim of the project is to raise awareness among a new generation of European citizens about the impact of hate speech on democratic participation and European values.
The project is implemented by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights (project coordinator), Participation for All (Latvia), the Estonian Centre for Human Rights (Estonia), the Human Rights Monitoring Institute (Lithuania), the Multi Kulti Collective (Bulgaria), the House of Human Rights Zagreb (Croatia), and the Romanian Institute for Peace Action Training and Research – PATRIR.
The project is co-funded by the European Union’s Europe for Citizens programme and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the position of the European Union.
