There will probably always be hate : A grounded theory on the normalization of hate culture – youths' reproduction and resistance

This study examined how upper secondary school students in Sweden experienced and managed hate speech in their daily lives, as well as how they made sense of the phenomenon. The aim was to contribute to a deeper understanding of young people's own experiences of hate speech, its impact, and how they dealt with it. The study was conducted within the framework of a larger research project, using constructivist grounded theory as described by Charmaz (2014). Data were collected through 13 focus group interviews and one individual interview, involving a total of 59 students from five upper secondary schools in both small and large cities. This resulted in a grounded theory on the normalization of hate culture, comprising three categories: the iterative flow of hate, the consequences and defenses of hate, and the processes of rendering hate invisible. The findings showed that young people perceived hate speech as constantly present, something that affected their mental health and their freedom of expression. Participants managed this through various strategies such as adaptation, resistance, and normalization. The study concluded that hate speech has become part of young people’s everyday lives and emphasized the importance of initiatives that strengthen youth resilience and challenge destructive norms.