Freedom of Expression

A political street mural in San Diego with bold red, black, and beige tones. It features a woman holding a newspaper questioning climate denial, propaganda-style posters, and imagery related to surveillance and control. The artwork highlights free speech, censorship, and political power dynamics.
BooksFreedom of Expression

Does Free Speech Have a Future?

About the book The Life and Death of Freedom of Expression by Richard Moon, published by University of Toronto Press in 2024.

By
Richard Moon
21 Min Read
Private Censorship: Between Corporate Power and Free Speech
Person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, a popular symbol of the fight against censorship, in an urban setting. The mask represents resistance against oppression and the tyranny of prevailing opinion.
BooksFreedom of Expression
18 Min Read
Academia and the Illiberal Challenges to Freedom of Expression
PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) protest in Frankfurt.
Freedom of Expression
16 Min Read
Decline of Free Speech and Democracy’s Social Vulnerability
Pop art style image depicting a person with red tape crossed over their mouth, symbolizing censorship and suppression of speech. The background features vibrant colors and social media icons, including Facebook, speech bubbles, and crossed-out symbols, illustrating the concept of social vulnerability and the impact of cancel culture.
Freedom of Expression
24 Min Read
Challenging Disinformation: Securing Expression’s Future
The artwork encapsulates the concept of justice, with Lady Justice as the focal point, blindfolded to ensure impartiality, her scales symbolizing balance, and a sword denoting authority. The presence of legal motifs like a gavel and quills underscores the judicial theme. Yet, amid these symbols of order, "Disinformation" could be interpreted as a lurking challenge, one that the very institutions represented here strive to overcome through the pursuit of truth and fairness
Freedom of Expression
7 Min Read
Speech, Dignity and Offense: A Critical Examination
Members of a white supremacist group, clad in iconic hoods and robes, march bearing the Confederate flag – a profound offense and symbol of racial intolerance, igniting a clash between the ideals of freedom of expression and the protection of dignity as per the discussions on the boundaries of tolerance and liberty.
Freedom of Expression
9 Min Read
Agents Provocateurs: Eroding Democracy & Free Speech
Governments have been known to employ agents provocateurs to infiltrate and influence protest movements, often to disrupt or discredit the agenda of the demonstrators.
Freedom of Expression
13 Min Read
Exploring Speech Boundaries: A Modern Quest
Elon Musk at TED 2022, discussing the future of Twitter and speech boundaries.
Freedom of Expression
14 Min Read
Intellectual Freedom: The Power of Books Against Censorship
An artistically rendered phoenix, symbolizing resilience and rebirth, majestically rises from the ashes of burnt book pages against a dark background, visually embodying the theme of 'Intellectual Freedom'.
Freedom of Expression
13 Min Read
Expression and Equity: University Dynamics in Canada
Photo of a bustling anti-racism protest inside the York University student center. Students from diverse backgrounds gather en masse, filling the multi-level atrium. They stand attentively, some with backpacks on, facing a central point of interest, possibly a speaker or focal event. Banners drape over the railings of the upper floors, with messages promoting equality and denouncing racism. The image captures a moment of peaceful yet powerful advocacy, symbolizing a collective quest for expression and equity in an academic setting.
Freedom of Expression
16 Min Read
AI’s Impact: A Threat or Boon for Free Speech?
The face-off between technology and humanity encapsulates AI's impact, highlighting its transformative power and accompanying ethical quandaries.
Freedom of Expression
11 Min Read
Maritime NGOs : Expanding Freedom of Expression
Syrian and Iraqi refugees arrive at Skala Sykamias on Lesbos Island, Greece, after journeying from Turkey. Dressed in distinctive yellow-red uniforms, volunteers from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms step in to aid these newcomers. The rescue efforts of Open Arms can be interpreted as an act of freedom of expression.
Freedom of Expression
11 Min Read
Free Speech vs Faith: The ECtHR’s Controversial Ruling
Collage depicting a scale of justice in shades of gray and blue, symbolizing the balance of free speech.
Freedom of Expression
11 Min Read
Religious Freedom and Free Speech in a Multicultural World
Buddhist monks in vibrant orange robes meditate in a richly decorated temple, symbolizing the essence of religious freedom.
Freedom of Expression
17 Min Read
Contemporary Challenges in Academic Freedom
illustration of a library or study room in shades of gray, blue, and white. In the center, a researcher with a magnifying glass is surrounded by books and documents, with overlapping chains and bars symbolizing restrictions on academic freedom.
Freedom of Expression
12 Min Read
The Hidden Struggle for Expression in Ethiopia
Horizontal collage depicting a city in Ethiopia in shades of gray and blue. In the foreground, stylized illustrations of antennas and networks symbolize internet connectivity. In the background, silhouettes of people using electronic devices, while above them, chains and bars symbolize the regulation and restriction of access, highlighting the challenges of digital expression in Ethiopia.
Freedom of Expression
10 Min Read
Guarding Free Speech: Navigating Govt Interference & Disinformation
Stylized silhouettes of citizens in the foreground engaged in debate, representing free speech, contrasted by looming shadows of government figures in the background, symbolizing governmental influence over public discourse.
Freedom of Expression
11 Min Read
Forced exile in Cuba: Relentless War on Free Expression
Collage depicting an island in shades of gray and blue, symbolizing Cuba. On one side, stylized silhouettes of young individuals walking towards a ship, representing their forced exile. On the opposite end, a prison with bars and silhouettes of youth behind them. Geometric elements and typical art deco patterns frame the scene, highlighting the contrasting fates of those who leave and those who remain.
Freedom of Expression
9 Min Read
Kurdish Journalists: The Untold Struggle for Free Expression
Horizontal collage depicting a mountainous landscape, evoking the Kurdish regions, in shades of gray and blue. In the foreground, stylized silhouettes of Kurdish journalists with cameras and microphones, while shadows of governmental figures attempt to silence them and suppress their cultural identity.
Freedom of Expression
5 Min Read
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