You Can't Always Say What You Want
The Paradox of Free Speech

Today's struggle for free speech is placed into historical context to explore how laws protect, or threaten, less-powerful speakers.

Dennis Baron (Author)

9781009198905, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 February 2023

240 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 2 cm, 0.57 kg

'… ambitious and timely …' James Rhoades, Library Journal

The freedom to think what you want and to say what you think has always generated a pushback of regulation and censorship. This raises the thorny question: to what extent does free speech actually endanger speech protection? This book examines today's calls for speech legislation and places it into historical perspective, using fascinating examples from the past 200 years, to explain the historical context of laws regulating speech. Over time, the freedom to speak has grown, the ways in which we communicate have evolved due to technology, and our ideas about speech protection have been challenged as a result. Now more than ever, we are living in a free speech paradox: powerful speakers weaponize their rights in order to silence those less-powerful speakers who oppose them. By understanding how this situation has developed, we can stand up to these threats to the freedom of speech.

1. Free speech, but...
2. Guns and grammar
3. Clear and present danger
4. Strong language
5. Threat level: orange
6. America's war on language
7. Repeat after me
8. Will free speech survive?

Subject Areas: Law, citizenship & rights for the lay person [VSD], Government powers [LNDH], Freedom of information law [LNDF], Freedom of expression law [LNDC4], International human rights law [LBBR], Media, information & communication industries [KNT], Freedom of information & freedom of speech [JPVH2], Constitution: government & the state [JPHC], Sociolinguistics [CFB]