Description

Social and cultural changes have led to free speech claims being made in novel contexts: to challenge the validity of bans on tobacco advertising, to publish 'kiss and tell' stories about celebrities, and to resist attempts to regulate the Internet. In this fully revised and updated new edition of his classic work, Barendt considers the meaning and scope of freedom of speech. How far should free speech and expression clauses go to protect pornography, commercial advertising, and public meetings on the streets? Does this freedom cover desecration of a national flag? Does it include nude dancing?

Eric Barendt discusses the legal protection of free speech in countries including England, the United States (including recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court), Canada, and Germany. He examines the varied approaches of different legal systems and constitutional traditions to balancing free speech and freedom of the press against rights to reputation, privacy, and copyright, and explores case law in light of the philosophical and political arguments for free speech guarantees.

Reviews

"In a tour de force, Professor Barendt concisely yet comprehensively surveys the important topics and recent developments in the free speech jurisprudence of the western democracies, and does so in an eminently readable style that enhances the book's numerous scholarly insights. If I could have only three books on free speech in my collection, this would be one of them."--James Weinstein, Amelia Lewis Professor of Constitutional Law, Arizona State University

Product Details

566 pages; ISBN13: 978-0-19-922581-1ISBN10: 0-19-922581-8

About the Author(s)