Teacher Education, Diversity, and the Prevention of Hate Speech: Ethical and Political Foundations for Inclusive Citizenship

This study explores hate speech in educational contexts, focusing on initial teacher training in Chile. It conceptualizes hate speech as a form of expression that promotes violence and exclusion, emphasizing the role of social media in its amplification. Drawing on the theories of Levinas, Arendt, and Žižek, the research highlights the importance of citizenship education in building inclusive and democratic educational environments. A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational design was employed, based on a survey conducted among history pedagogy students at Chilean universities. Using non-probabilistic sampling, the study applied statistical analyses, including Spearman’s correlation and Cronbach’s alpha (0.84), to ensure reliability. Key findings indicate that 51% of participants believe teacher training should explicitly address hate speech, while 70% expect the Ministry of Education to provide institutional support. A strong correlation (0.49) was found between social media usage and the spread of hate speech. Although students recognize the problem, significant resistance remains regarding the inclusion of hate speech and diversity-related content in teacher education programs. The results underscore the urgent need for public policies that integrate diversity, human rights, and critical digital literacy into teacher training, aiming to prevent discrimination and promote ethical and inclusive educational practices.