Introduction to methodology
The Hinduphobia Tracker has used a blended approach to provide a more comprehensive understanding of Hinduphobia. The database focuses on gathering cases of religiously motivated hate crimes reported in the media over a period of time. However, we recognize the fact that media reports may suffer from certain shortcomings as far as the coverage of hate crimes for the purpose of a Hinduphobia Tracker. The Hinduphobia Tracker has set strict parameters for each category and sub-category of hate crimes under the Hinduphobia Tracker. Cases covered in the media may be labelled as a hate crime, however, may be missing elements of the hate crime that are required to categorise the incident as a hate crime for the purpose of the Hinduphobia Tracker. To mitigate this factor, we have taken a blended approach where every case that is added to the Hinduphobia Tracker is accompanied by a detailed explanation as to why that specific incident fits in the parameters set by the Tracker. The qualitative reasoning justifying the decision to consider the case a religiously motivated hate crime ensures that every case added to the hate tracker is backed by dispassionate reasoning and adherence to the parameters set. The Tracker has also consciously taken a conservative approach in classifying crimes as hate crimes. In several cases, where the suspicion of a religious motive exists however, convincing indications are absent, Hinduphobia Tracker has decided to not classify the crime as a hate crime but to add it to a separate database labelled ‘undecided’.
At the Hinduphobia Tracker, we believe in ensuring transparency and therefore, the entire data set has been made public for scrutiny. We have also added options to raise disputes for every single case added to the hate crime database.
Research design
The Hinduphobia Tracker has broadly based its research on the descriptive method. The main objective of the Hinduphobia Tracker database, beyond just documentation, is to understand the phenomenon of Hinduphobia and how it manifests itself in and includes religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus. This is done through data collected in a longitudinal method and based on that data, creating descriptive categories to define religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus – the ultimate result of rampant Hinduphobia. The aim of the Hinduphobia Tracker is to ultimately graduate to explanatory research based on the data collected in the database.
The main objective of descriptive research is to describe the data collected on the religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus and define the characteristics of Hinduphobia which leads to the historic and ongoing persecution of Hindus. The research is undertaken with the aim of observing, recording, describing, and classifying religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus and describing the serious implications of Hinduphobia.
Data collection method
The data collection for the Hinduphobia Tracker database is based on secondary data sources with the provision for primary data collection in the future. Essentially, the Hinduphobia Tracker bases its database on data already available in the form of media reports pertaining to crimes against Hindus. These media reports are then analysed and chronologically added to the database based on the variable of either the incident date or report date (in case the incident date is unavailable or the case, upon reaching judicial fruition, has resurfaced again). In cases where multiple media reports exist, those multiple sources are added to the case details. The police statements mentioned in media reports are also added to the data description (our policy about police statements and court judgements can be read here).
All sources used in the database are archived for future reference. At this time, collection of data from primary sources is not being conducted, however, there are inbuilt provisions to expand the data collection from primary sources in the future.
For example, the database has the provision for the public to submit data (incidents of religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus) to the Hinduphobia Tracker. The submissions could be based on secondary sources (such as media reports) or primary data (incidents of religiously motivated hate crimes suffered by the victims themselves). The incidents submitted by the public then go through a 4-step verification process before being added to the database.
In the future, Hinduphobia Tracker plans to start collecting primary data by reaching out to victims of religiously motivated hate crimes for first-person accounts, documents and evidence.
Data analysis method -4 step verification process
Each case of religiously motivated hate crime which is documented in the Hinduphobia Tracker goes through a 4-step verification process.
Step 1: The junior researcher compiles a list of potential hate crimes reported on a given day and enters the data into the database, tagging each case to the potential category of crimes that it fits into.
Step 2: The editor reviews the data entered by the junior researcher and ensures the categories selected are accurate. The Editor is also to ensure that the incident added fulfils all the parameters of a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus and the individual parameters set for each primary category, sub-category and tertiary category which has been selected for the incident.
Step 3: Once the details added are checked for accuracy, the Editor then proceeds to write the ‘why it is a hate crime’ parameter for each case to be added to the database. Hinduphobia Tracker has included a descriptive feature called the ‘Why it is a hate crime’ section in the database. Each incident of hate crime has to be accompanied by its own specific explanation as to which elements of the incident qualify it to be considered a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. This mechanism helps not only the public to contextualise and understand the contours of a religiously motivated hate crime, but also acts as a self-check mechanism for the Hinduphobia Tracker team. Often, gory and horrific details of a crime may, on the face of it, make the researcher believe that the incident is a hate crime. Emotionally and psychologically, it is easy to assume that every inter-religious crime is one driven by religious hate because of the brutal details of the crime. The ‘Why it is a hate crime’ section forces the researcher to apply the parameters set for each primary category, sub-category and tertiary category, evaluate each component of the crime and make a dispassionate decision to either include or exclude the incident from the hate crime database.
Step 4: A senior editor or the project lead checks each case added by the editor and reviews the ‘why it is a hate crime’ explanation written by the editor to ensure adherence to parameters set for each primary, secondary and tertiary category.
Each case documented in the Hinduphobia is categorised into one or more of the following categories based on the law and available evidence.
- Attack resulting in death
- Attack not resulting in death
- Restriction/ ban on Hindu religious practices
- Hate speech
- Hate Crimes against women in relationships and sexual crimes
- Attack on Hindu religious symbols
- Predatory Proselytisation
- Man attacked for being associated with Hindus
For each category, many sub-categories have been specified with the broad legal and ethical framework being specified. One incident may be registered in multiple categories. In that case, we specify some categories (ies) as primary, some others as secondary, or tertiary.
Ethical considerations
The main ethical consideration in researching religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus is broad-brushing every crime by a non-Hindu entity, group or individual as a religiously motivated hate crime based on the identity of the perpetrator and the victim instead of the components of the crime itself.
While several other datasets designed to demonise Hindus turn every inter-religious crime as one motivated by religious hate and/or prejudice, at Hinduphobia Tracker, we have taken special care to ensure that every primary, secondary and tertiary category has objective, tangible and demonstrable components of religious hate which have been meticulously defined to ensure minimization of broad-brushing and opinion/speculation driven categorization.
To ensure that the broad-brushing of every inter-religious crime as a hate crime does not creep in, Hinduphobia Tracker has made its entire dataset publicly available and has also included a mechanism through which the dataset can be analysed by the public at large and disputes can be raised against the inclusion or exclusion of any incident. The team will then review the dispute raised and resolve it appropriately.
Another mechanism included in the Hinduphobia Tracker is the ‘undecided’ database. The ‘undecided’ database is a collection of cases which appear borderline to our team – essentially – these are cases which could be a religiously motivated hate crime, however, there is insufficient information to conclude that it has all the components of a religiously motivated hate crime. The cases in this database do not form a part of the hate crime database. The victim count, incident count and every other analytical parameter are based purely on the hate crime database and not the undecided database. Cases from the undecided database are transferred to the hate crime database only when and if additional information emerges, substantiating the set parameters for religiously motivated hate crimes in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Shortcomings of the database
The database relies mainly on secondary sources. Because of this, it is entirely possible that some cases that should be added to the hate crime database are excluded from it because of the lack of information included in the secondary source. Further, Hinduphobia Tracker is not tracing the legal trajectory of every case yet and therefore, some cases which have been excluded from the database could be adjudicated as crimes motivated by religious animosity at a later stage – which would be untraceable by Hinduphobia Tracker. A corollary of that is that some cases that have been added to the hate crime database may be deemed false/fake/unsubstantiated at the end of the legal process (a decision that the Hinduphobia Tracker may or may not agree with based on the facts of the case. Please see FAQ for our policy on legal pronouncements and police statements).
