What term describes any public act that could incite hatred or severe contempt toward a specific group?

The term "vilification" specifically refers to public acts or expressions that incite hatred or severe contempt towards a particular group of people, often based on characteristics such as race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This concept is important in discussions about hate speech, discrimination laws, and the protection of individual rights within society. When someone engages in vilification, they are essentially promoting negative stereotypes or hostility toward that group, which can lead to social division and even violence.

In contrast, discrimination involves unfair treatment of individuals based on certain attributes but does not necessarily include the incitement of hatred. Defamation refers to making false statements about someone that damage their reputation, while slander specifically pertains to spoken defamatory statements. Both defamation and slander focus on harming the reputation of individuals rather than inciting hatred toward groups. Therefore, vilification stands out as the most appropriate term for the context described in the question.