Free speech wars: How did we get here & why does it matter?
The Free Speech Wars, edited by Charlotte Lydia Riley and published by Manchester University Press (2020), is a collection of essays that examines the complexities and debates surrounding free speech in contemporary society.
The book features a co-written essay by Trinity team members Emma Harvey and Dr Edson Burton titled In a diverse society, is freedom of speech realisable?
The pair discuss the challenges of balancing free speech with building safe and inclusive intersectional community spaces. They reflect on experiences where competing equality agendas have led to conflicts, highlighting the complexities faced by those managing public spaces in fostering open dialogue while ensuring inclusivity means just that.
The book brings together a diverse group of commentators, activists, and academics to explore who gets to exercise free speech, the consequences when powerful voices are challenged, and how free speech has been weaponised in various debates.
It delves into the spaces and structures of speech, such as mass media, universities, public events, political rallies, and the internet, and investigates how acts like censorship, boycotts, and protests have evolved historically and inform present discussions.
Other essays include:
Gabriel Moshenska: Anatomy of a 'trigger warning' scandal Moshenska recounts a personal experience where his inclusion of content warnings in a course on the forensics of genocide and modern warfare became the centre of controversy and the broader context of academia and free speech
Shaun McDaid & Catherine McGlynn: Free speech and preventing radicalisation in higher education Examines the impact of the UK's Prevent duty on free speech within universities, advocating for its abolition, highlighting how the policy inadvertently suppresses legitimate discourse in higher education.
Paul Whickman: Teaching 'freedom of speech' freely Whickman reflects on his experiences teaching literary censorship and free speech and discusses the importance of fostering a respectful and diverse environment to encourage open dialogue.
These essays, among others in the collection, provide nuanced perspectives on the multifaceted debates surrounding free speech, its limitations, and its implications in various societal contexts.
The free speech wars: How did we get here and why does it matter? edited by Charlotte Lydia Riley is available to buy from Manchester Univeristy Press, £14.99
