Critical Minds, Tolerant Voices: Media and Information Literacy as a Tool against Hate Speech

Abstract

The impact of media and information literacy (MIL) on university students' awareness of hate speech is investigated in this study. A quasi-experimental time-series design was employed. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 156 students from humanities and science disciplines at Al al-Bayt University in Jordan, through pre- and post-tests and qualitative responses. The results showed an improvement in hate speech awareness after the MIL intervention, with no statistically significant differences attributable to gender or academic specialization. Qualitative analysis revealed that students' definition of hate speech shifted from a superficial to a more critical one, with the speaker's intent emerging as a key indicator of hate speech in media contexts. The researcher recommends integrating MIL into higher education to promote critical awareness of hate speech in media environments.