This book investigates the sociological roots of hate and prejudice by examining how racism and anti-Semitism persist within contemporary American society. Author Jack Levin, a recognized scholar in the field of hate crimes, utilizes a conceptual framework to categorize the participants of bigotry into four distinct groups: hatemongers, dabblers, sympathizers, and spectators. He argues that hate is not merely a fringe phenomenon but is sustained by ordinary individuals operating within the mainstream of society.

The text provides a structured, academic approach to understanding the normalization of hate within social hierarchies. Its focus on the mainstream origins of prejudice suggests a dense, analytical resource intended for students and researchers of sociology and criminology.