A new book by a University of Connecticut School of Law professor explores the links between hate speech and violence, with reference to 20th and 21st century conflicts.

Richard Ashby Wilson explores the legal questions that arise in prosecuting incitement, and he proposes new ways of regulating the risks of political speech, in “Incitement on Trial: Prosecuting International Speech Crimes.”

Officially released Aug. 31 by Cambridge University Press, the book describes how media campaigns that demonize segments of populations often precede armed conflicts. Still, international criminal tribunals often have trouble showing that the words directly caused the violent acts, Wilson notes.