State-sponsored disinformation, hate speech, and violence: mapping conceptual connections and analysing them through Iran's anti-Bahá'í propaganda

Considering the persisting force of state-sponsored campaigns of hate speech and disinformation around the world, this chapter offers an initial theoretical model of six interrelated statements based on available literature to facilitate the study of such operations. Additionally, a case study is built by applying this framework to the campaign carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Bahá'ís, the largest non-Muslim religious minority in that country. Apart from illustrating the key precepts of the model and testing their analytical value, the case study generates some insights for further reflection and research.