The Secular Myth of Hate and Neocolonialism

Neocolonialism is a contemporary form of globalized colonialism that uses institutions and laws to hide neocolonial domination. Neocolonial institutions and laws build on the secular myth of religious violence to delineate an even broader category of “hate-filled violence.” The notion of hate-filled violence is not a descriptive classification, but rather a mechanism for normalizing neocolonial violence as “not motivated by hate.” According to the secular myth, hate-filled violence is caused by religion, race, or ethnicity and neocolonial violence is caused by security needs. Neocolonial institutions and actors impose the secular myth of hate, allege that hate is an urgent threat, and declare war on that threat. This article uses a case study on antisemitic hate speech to illustrate how neocolonial institutions and actors exploit the secular myth of hate.