Free Expression: Books, Articles, & Reports

This webpage lists a few high-quality books for the K-12 and general adult audiences with their descriptions from WorldCat. You can request the books through your local public library. The articles and reports are all openly available when you click on the link in the description.

Table of Contents

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Books

K-12

All books are available through your Public Library. Books labelled Open Access are available for free download.

  • Applegarth, Risa. Just Kids: Youth Activism and Rhetorical Agency. 1st ed. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
    • Open Access
    • Although children have prompted and participated in numerous acts of protest and advocacy, their words and labors are more likely to be dismissed than discussed as serious activism. Whether treated disparagingly by antagonistic audiences or lauded as symbols of hope by sympathetic ones, children and teens are rarely considered capable organizers and advocates for change. In Just Kids, Risa Applegarth investigates youth-organized activism from the 1990s to the present, asking how young people have leveraged age as a rhetorical resource, despite material and rhetorical barriers that limit their access to traditional forms of electoral power. Through case studies of antinuclear activism, im/migration activism, and activism for gun reform, this book reveals how childhood both limits and enables rhetorical possibility for young people. Drawing on interviews and focus group discussions with activists, Applegarth probes how participants understand the success and failure of their efforts beyond the immediate moment of impact. Methodologically innovative, Just Kids develops a framework of reflexive agency to make sense of how participants’ activism has mattered over time within their lives and communities.
  • Bohrer, Jessica, and Sandy Bohrer. 2020. Your Voice Is Your Superpower!: A Beginner’s Guide to Freedom of Speech (and the First Amendment). 1st ed. Westport, Connecticut: City Point Press.
    • Description from WorldCat: What is free speech and why is it so special? Your Voice is Your Superpower tells you why your voice matters and how you can use it and also why we must protect everyone’s right to free speech. Everyone loves superheroes. Who doesn’t? They’re super! Some of them can fly. Some are strong. Some can become invisible. And some wear capes. But the thing that really makes them super is that they help people and change the world. And guess what? You have a superpower inside you. Your VOICE is your superpower. And because of a thing called freedom of speech, with that voice, you can express yourself, you can help people and you can change the world.
  • Gravel, Elise. 2022. Killer Underwear Invasion!: How to Spot Fake News, Disinformation & Conspiracy Theories. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
    • Descrition from WorldCat: In this hilarious, yet fact-filled book, Elise Gravel uses her kid-friendly wit and quirky illustration style to break down what fake news is, why people spread it, and how to tell what is real and what isn’t. And that’s the truth!
  • Matulli, Allison, Clelia Castro-Malaspina, Carmelle Kendall, and Kids Running Press. 2023. Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment. 1st ed. Philadelphia: RP Kids Philadelphia.
    • Description from WorldCat: A nonpartisan, unbiased look at the First Amendment and how it informs our daily lives, this book clearly explains the fundamentals of American politics to middle grade readers.
  • Mihaly, Christy, and Manu Montoya. 2020. Free for You and Me: What Our First Amendment Means. 1st ed. Chicago, Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company.
    • Description from WorldCat: It’s a free country! But what does that mean? The five liberties protected by the First Amendment are explained here in catchy, engaging rhymes. Vivid, kid-friendly examples demonstrate the meaning of freedom of religion, speech, and the press, and the rights to assemble peacefully and to petition the government
  • Scales, Pat R. 2023. Banned Books for Kids: Reading Lists and Activities for Teaching Kids to Read Censored Literature. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks.
    • Description from WorldCat: In our polarized environment, the censorship and outright banning of children’s books that some people deem to be controversial or objectionable remains a major concern for schools, libraries, and communities across the United States. Intellectual freedom champion, the American Library Association, created Teaching Banned Books to Kids, a guide that includes both contemporary books that have been banned and classic literature that continues to be under attack for political and/or religious reasons. Parents, school and public librarians, library and information sciences students, and classroom educators will find the assistance and support they need to defend these challenged books with an informed response while ensuring access to young book lovers.

General

  • Gorwa, Robert. 2024. The Politics of Platform Regulation: How Governments Shape Online Content Moderation. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
    • Open Access
    • Description from Publisher: As digital platforms have become more integral to not just how we live, but also to how we do politics, the rules governing online expression, behavior, and interaction created by large multinational technology firms—popularly termed ‘content moderation,’ ‘platform governance,’ or ‘trust and safety’—have increasingly become the target of government regulatory efforts. This book provides a conceptual and empirical analysis of the important and emerging tech policy terrain of ‘platform regulation.’ How, why, and where exactly is it happening? Why now? And how do we best understand the vast array of strategies being deployed across jurisdictions to tackle this issue? The book outlines three strategies commonly pursued by government actors seeking to combat issues relating to the proliferation of hate speech, disinformation, child abuse imagery, and other forms of harmful content on user-generated content platforms: convincing, collaborating, and contesting. It then outlines a theoretical model for explaining the adoption of these different strategies in different political contexts and regulatory episodes. This model is explored through detailed case study chapters—driven by a combination of stakeholder interviews and new policymaking documents obtained via freedom of information requests—looking at policy development in Germany, Australia and New Zealand, and the United States.
  • Hirschberger, Bernd and Voges Katja. 2024. Religious Freedom and Populism. Bielefeld, Germany: Verlag.
    • Open Access
    • Description from Publisher: Populism is a growing threat to human rights. They are appropriated, distorted, turned into empty words or even their opposite. The contributors to this volume examine these practices using the example of freedom of religion or belief, a human right that has become a particular target of right-wing populists and extremists worldwide. The contributions not only show the rhetorical patterns of appropriation and distortion, but also demonstrate for various countries which social dynamics favor the appropriation in each case and propose how to strengthen human rights and the culture of debate in democratic societies.
  • Kuoni, Carin and Laura Raicovich. 2022. Studies into Darkness: The Perils and Promise of Freedom of Speech. 1st ed. Amherst College Press.
    • Open Access
    • Description from Publisher: There have been few times in US American history when the very concept of freedom of speech—its promise and its contradictions—has been under greater scrutiny. Guided by acclaimed artist, filmmaker, and activist Amar Kanwar, the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School convened a series of public seminars on freedom of speech with the participation of some of the most original thinkers and artists on the topic. Structured as an open curriculum, each seminar examined a particular aspect of freedom of speech, reflecting on and informed by recent debates around hate speech, censorship, sexism, and racism in the US and elsewhere. Studies into Darkness emerges from these seminars as a collection of newly commissioned texts, artist projects, and resources that delve into the intricacies of free speech. Providing a practical and historical guide to free speech discourse and in-depth investigations that extend far beyond the current moment, and featuring poetic responses to the crises present in contemporary culture and society around expression, this publication provocatively questions whether true communication is ever attainable.
  • McHangama, Jacob. 2022. Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media. 1st ed. New York: Basic Books.
    • Description from WorldCat: Often hailed as the “first freedom,” free speech is the bedrock of democracy, the enemy of tyranny, and the gateway to enlightenment. Research reveals a strong correlation between freedom of speech and democracy, innovation, and advancements in human rights, as well as reductions in conflict, corruption, and discrimination. But for all its benefits, free speech remains a challenging, controversial, and often counterintuitive principle, easily subject to erosion in times of social and political upheaval. And today, in democracies and authoritarian states around the world, freedom of speech is now on the retreat. In Free Speech, Jacob Mchangama traces the long, contested history of a powerful idea, beginning with its origins in the intellectual ferment of classical Athens, where it enabled the development of the world’s first democracy.
  • Messina, J. P. 2023. New Directions in the Ethics and Politics of Speech. 1st ed. Taylor and Francis.
    • Open Access
    • This book features new perspectives on the ethics and politics of free speech. Contributors draw on insights from philosophy, psychology, political theory, journalism, literature, and history to respond to pressing problems involving free speech in liberal societies. Recent years have seen an explosion of academic interest in free speech. However, most recent work has focused on constitutional protections for free speech and on issues related to academic freedom and campus politics. The chapters in this volume set their sights more broadly on the non-state problems that we collectively face in attempting to realize a healthy environment for free discourse. The volume’s contributors share the assumption that threats to free speech do not come exclusively from state sources or bad actors, but from ordinary strategic situations in which all may be acting in good faith. Contributors take seriously the idea that our current cultural moment provides plenty of reason to be concerned about our intellectual climate and offer new insights for how to make things better.
  • Rosenberg, Ian, and Michael Cavallaro. 2021. Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections. 1st ed. New York: First Second.
    • Description from WorldCat: [A] practical framework for appreciating where our free speech protections have come from and how they may develop in the future. Freedom of speech is fiercely defended in America and has been since the First Amendment was written. But how does it work, and what laws shape it? Drawing on parallels between ten seminal Supreme Court cases and current events, Free Speech Handbook lays out the fundamentals of First Amendment law in an accessible and engaging way.
  • Traldi, Oliver. 2024. Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction. 1st ed. Taylor and Francis.
    • Open Access
    • Description from Publisher: Anyone who’s had an argument about politics with a friend may walk away wondering how this friend could possibly hold the beliefs they do. A few self-reflective people might even wonder about their own political beliefs after such an argument. This book is about the reasons that people have, and could have, for political beliefs: the evidence they might draw on, the psychological sources of their views, and the question of how we ought to form our political beliefs if we want to be rational. The book’s twenty-four chapters are divided into four larger parts, which cover the following: (1) the differences between political and other types of beliefs, (2) theories of political belief formation, (3) sources of our political beliefs and how we might evaluate them, and (4) contemporary phenomena – like polarization, fake news, and conspiracy theories – related to political beliefs. Along the way, the book addresses questions that will arise naturally for many readers, like: Does the news you choose to watch and your own social media leave you stuck in an “information bubble”? Are you committed to a certain ideology because of the history of your society? Are people who believe “fake news“ always acting irrationally? Does democracy do a good job of figuring out what’s true? Are some political beliefs good and some evil? As the book investigates these and other questions, it delves into technical, philosophical topics like epistemic normativity, the connection between belief and action, pragmatic encroachment, debunking arguments, and ideology critique. Chapter summaries and discussion questions will help students and all interested readers better grasp this new, important area on the border of politics and philosophy. Key Features Systematically covers the political turn in contemporary epistemology and integrates it with important work in other fields (like psychology and political science) In addition to deep coverage of the nature of political belief, includes material on the ethics of political belief and how we ought to form our beliefs Approaches topics that naturally interest students like political disagreement, fake news, conspiracy theories, and the morality of belief Provides a Conclusion and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter, prompting student readers to think more clearly and deeply about the material they’ve read.

Articles

All articles are Open Access

  • Barber, Alex. 2023. “Freedom of Expression Meets Deepfakes.” Synthese 202 (2):1-17. doi: 10.1007/s11229-023-04266-4.
    • Abstract: Would suppressing deepfakes violate freedom of expression norms? The question is pressing because the deepfake phenomenon in its more poisonous manifestations appears to call for a response, and automated targeting of some kind looks to be the most practically viable. Two simple answers are rejected: that deepfakes do not deserve protection under freedom of expression legislation because they are fake by definition; and that deepfakes can be targeted if but only if they are misleadingly presented as authentic. To make progress, following a discussion of why freedom of expression deserves protection in a democracy, the question is reframed. At issue is not whether the arrival of deepfakes brings new and potentially serious dangers (it does), nor whether these dangers call for measures that potentially limit freedom of expression (they do), but whether the need for such measures raises any new and unfamiliar freedom-of-expression challenges. The answer to that question, surprisingly, is no. The balancing act needed to cope with the arrival of deepfakes brings plenty of difficulties, certainly, but none of the measures likely to be effective in tackling deepfake harms raises freedom-of-expression concerns that aren’t familiar from consideration of non-deepfake harms. In that respect, at least, the arrival of deepfakes makes no difference.
  • Bonotti, Matteo, and Jonathan Seglow. 2021. “Freedom of Expression.” Philosophy Compass 16 (7):1-13. doi: 10.1111/phc3.12759.
    • Abstract: This article surveys the classic and contemporary literature on the nature and limits of freedom of expression (or free speech). It begins by surveying the main philosophical justifications for free speech, before moving to consider the two most discussed topics in the free speech literature: hate speech and pornography. The article offers some brief reflections on the large number of arguments which have been offered on these topics. Three newer battlegrounds for free speech are examined at the end: no platforming, fake news and online shaming.
  • Bonotti, Matteo, and Jonathan Seglow. 2022. “Freedom of Speech: A Relational Defence.” Philosophy and Social Criticism 48 (4):515-529. doi: 10.1177/01914537211073782.
    • Abstract: Much of the recent literature on freedom of speech has focused on the arguments for and against the regulation of certain kinds of speech. Discussions of hate speech and offensive speech, for example, abound in this literature, as do debates concerning the permissibility of pornography. Less attention has been paid, however, at least recently, to the normative foundations of freedom of speech where three classic justifications still prevail, based on the values of truth, autonomy and democracy. In this paper we argue, first, that none of these justifications meet all four intuitive desiderata for an adequate theory of free speech. We go on to sketch an original relational view of free speech, one which grounds its value in the recognition that speakers grant each other when engaging in speech practices, and its limits in the republican ideal of non-dominated co-exercisable liberty. We briefly illustrate the relational approach’s implications for the debate on hate speech regulation and for the response to fake news.
  • Branyon, Angela and April Dawkins. 2020. “Why Intellectual Freedom and Equitable Access Are Even More Important Today.” Knowledge Quest 49 (1):10-17. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1272826.
    • Abstract: Libraries still stand as a source of knowledge that can guide us to make informed decisions through the use of credible sources. A balanced collection that provides access to all points of view empowers a community to use information responsibly and make decisions independently. Intellectual freedom and equity of access are still important issues today, especially when confronting uncertain times with the COVID-19 virus and distance education. Through education and the information found in libraries, democracy allows citizens to experience free speech through dialogue not diatribe and to support our opinions with a respect for the diversity of our fellow citizens and a desire to realize equity and justice. From physical access to material selection to policies dealing with challenges to privacy of patron information, the article argues that school librarians must demonstrate intellectual freedom to maintain a free and open forum for ideas. They should be protectors of intellectual freedom for minors just as public libraries protect the rights of all citizens regardless of age.
  • Godioli, Alberto, and Laura E. Little. 2022. “Different Systems, Similar Challenges: Humor and Free Speech in the United States and Europe.” Humor 35 (3):305-327. doi: 10.1515/humor-2021-0121.
    • Abstract: The United States and Europe are often contrasted with each other regarding their approach to freedom of expression. Yet, despite the differences between their respective judicial systems, courts from both regions inevitably face similar interpretive challenges when dealing with humor. Our paper conducts a comparative discussion of humor-related jurisprudence from the US and Europe, mostly (but not exclusively) focusing on two landmark cases – namely Hustler v. Falwell (US Supreme Court, 1988) and Vereinigung Bildender Künstler v. Austria (European Court of Human Rights, 2007). In particular, our analysis foregrounds two aspects: 1) How courts deal with the complex relations between humor, exaggeration and factual reality; 2) The role of objective harm (as opposed to subjective offence) in distinguishing between lawful and unlawful expression, and how the subjectivity of humor interpretation can undermine this criterion. On both levels, we argue that insights from literary and linguistic theories of humor – from Simpson’s work on satirical discourse to Attardo and Raskin’s General Theory of Verbal Humor – can set the basis for a more fine-grained and systematic approach to humor across different judicial system.
  • Goldman-Hasbun, Julia. 2023. “The Moral Discourse of Free Speech: A Virtual Ethnographic Study.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 52 (4):463-492. doi: 10.1177/08912416221129880.
    • Abstract: Freedom of speech has long been considered an essential value in democracies. However, its boundaries concerning hate speech continue to be contested across many social and political spheres, including governments, social media websites, and university campuses. Despite the recent growth of so-called free speech communities online and offline, little empirical research has examined how individuals embedded in these communities make moral sense of free speech and its limits. Examining these perspectives is important for understanding the growing involvement and polarization around this issue. Using a digital ethnographic approach, I address this gap by analyzing discussions in a rapidly growing online forum dedicated to free speech (r/FreeSpeech subreddit). I find that most users on the forum understand free speech in an absolutist sense (i.e., it should be free from legal, institutional, material, and even social censorship or consequences), but that users differ in their arguments and justifications concerning hate speech. Some downplay the harms of hate speech, while others acknowledge its harms but either focus on its epistemic subjectivity or on the moral threats of censorship and authoritarianism. Further, the forum appears to have become more polarized and right-wing-dominated over time, rife with ideological tensions between members and between moderators and members. Overall, this study highlights the variation in free speech discourse within online spaces and calls for further research on free speech that focuses on first-hand perspectives.
  • Mutz, Diana C. 2023. Freedom of Speech in the Post-Floyd Era: Public Support for Political Tolerance. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 70 8(1):184-205. doi: 10.1177/00027162241231129.
    • Abstract: Using a measure designed to capture intolerance on both sides of the political spectrum, I find that opinions favoring the abridgement of free speech rights are overwhelmingly targeted at right-leaning groups, and racist groups in particular. Consistent with recent studies, Democrats are found to be less tolerant than Republicans of speech they dislike. However, contrary to existing findings, the same patterns of intolerance are present for both racist and nonracist target groups. Treating racist groups as an exception to the principle of free expression may have resulted in a spillover to intolerance of other disliked groups.
  • Rowbottom, Jacob. 2022. “A Thumb on the Scale: Measures Short of a Prohibition to Combat Hate Speech.” Journal of Media Law 14 (1):119-138. doi: 10.1080/17577632.2022.2088074.
    • Abstract: While debates on hate speech often focus on the case for banning certain types of expression, this article will focus on less restrictive alternatives. The article will consider the denial of a benefit normally granted to speakers, media regulations and government sponsored speech to counter messages of hate. Such measures, it is argued, are more proportionate than an outright ban and do not exclude any particular viewpoints from political debate. However, such measures also depart from expectations of even-handedness from public bodies in relation to political viewpoints. With these factors in mind, the discussion explores the potential for some types of speech to occupy a grey area, in which messages of hate or extremism do not meet the threshold for prohibition but are still subject to viewpoint-based treatment that would not normally be compatible with freedom of expression.
  • Siagian, Riduan, Leonard Siahaan, and Muhammad Ichwan Hamzah. 2023. “Human Rights in The Digital Era: Online Privacy, Freedom Of Speech, and Personal Data Protection.” Journal of Digital Learning and Distance Education. 2 (4):1-11. doi: 10.56778/jdlde.v2i4.149.
    • Abstract: This study analyzes the impact of digital technology on human rights in the modern context. The main focus is on online privacy, freedom of speech, and personal data protection. The research method is qualitative through a literature review and involves literature analysis to understand fundamental issues. This study highlights risks related to online privacy and questions regarding freedom of speech on social media. Additionally, the protection of personal data also takes a significant focus, with an emphasis on the need for appropriate regulations. Despite challenges, the digital era also brings opportunities for human rights campaigns and increased awareness. This research provides essential guidance for policies that can uphold the integrity of human rights in the ever-evolving digital era.
  • Tsomidis, Theo. 2022. “Freedom of Expression in Turbulent times – Comparative Approaches to Dangerous Speech: The ECtHR and the US Supreme Court.” The International Journal of Human Rights 26 (3):379-399. doi: 10.1080/13642987.2021.1928084.
    • Abstract: The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the US Supreme Court (USSC) have emphasised the foundational importance of freedom of expression. However, when the exercise of this liberty appears to endanger the democratic institutions or the national security of the state, readiness to uphold limitations of this right increases. Over the years each judicial body has adopted a distinctive approach towards limitations on dangerous speech. The US Constitution envisages free speech as an unconditional freedom; a ‘free market of ideas’ is the key concept, suggesting that the protection availed to speech should be the widest possible. The USSC gradually adopted a viewpoint-neutral approach focusing solely on the secondary effects of the speech, thus protecting even abstract advocacy of violence. On the contrary, the ECtHR may contracted freedom of expression in view of wider societal interests; the key concept is that of a militant democracy capable of protecting itself. The ECtHR adopts a lower threshold of protection that precludes abstract advocacy of violence and applies an intricate balancing exercise. ECtHR’s approach allows more space for indeterminacy and obscurity in its jurisprudence. The USSC’s case-law may serve the ECtHR as a source of inspiration with a view to refining its standards.

Journals

Reports

K-12

  • Pen America. 2022. Banned in the USA: Rising School Book Bans Threaten Free Expression and Students’ First Amendment Rights.
    • “Book bans in public schools have recurred throughout American history, and have long been an issue of concern to PEN America, as a literary and free expression advocacy organization. Over the past nine months, the scope of such censorship has expanded rapidly. In response, PEN America has collated an Index of School Book Bans, offering a snapshot of the trend. The Index documents decisions to ban books in school libraries and classrooms in the United States from July 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.”
  • Young, Jeremy C. and Johnathan Friedman. 2022. America’s Censored Classrooms. Pen American.
    • “Educational gag orders are state legislative efforts to restrict teaching about topics such as race, gender, American history, and LGBTQ+ identities in K–12 and higher education. PEN America tracks these bills in our Index of Educational Gag Orders, updated weekly.”

General

  • GLAAD. 2023. Book Bans: A Guide for Community Response and Action.
    • “[R]esources from professional library and free speech advocates to help communities defeat book ban efforts. By using the power of storytelling and engaging media, communities can unite with their neighbors, send a powerful signal of welcome and acceptance, and see challenged books return to shelves. Rallying around shared values of diversity, safety, and progress empowers and strengthens communities, power that can be deployed to defeat extremism wherever it rises up, including in candidates for elected office, as well as school and library boards. While book bans attempt to curb fundamental freedoms, they are far from the final chapter. Communities who care about each vulnerable reader and a future where all can be free should get the last word.”
  • Institute for Free Speech. 2020. Free Speech Index: Grading the 50 States on the Freedom to Speak about the Government.
    • “A first-of-its-kind analysis of laws restricting speech about government in all 50 states. This Index is the most comprehensive examination of state laws governing and regulating political engagement ever published. The Free Speech Index rates each state on how well it supports the free speech and association rights of individuals and groups interested in speaking about candidates, issues of public policy, and their government. To assess each state’s performance, we ranked the states in ten categories, each of which examine a different area of state law burdening speakers and groups.”
  • Brooklyn Library. 2024. In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned from the Brooklyn Public Library and Seattle Public Library
    • “[A]nalyzes 855 stories shared by young people, ages 13 to 26, who signed up for a free Books Unbanned e-card from either BPL or SPL from April 2022 through December 2023. University of Washington Information School graduate students categorized and tagged the stories to identify common themes. The stories analyzed for the report are a subset of thousands that the two libraries have received in the past two years from every state in the nation, as well as D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico. A key theme uncovered in the analysis was how formal acts of censorship, bans, challenges, and restrictions to reading material can create a climate of fear and intimidation for young people.
  • Knight Foundation. 2021. Free Expression in America Post-2020.
    • “The findings described in this report cover many but not all of the rich insights possible from this complex dataset. We invite the public and researchers to explore this publicly available resource in further detail. This study finds that all Americans hold to the ideal of free speech, but putting free expression into practice reveals significant differences in experiences and attitude. It examines how Americans view free expression issues, events and the application of our First Amendment rights in an increasingly digital, diverse, and politically driven society.”