What Is Free Speech For?
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 24. November 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-5292-3429-9 (ISBN)
Description
Free speech is the subject of numerous conflicts, but what are its limits and who decides them? How can so many people simultaneously claim to be silenced and yet loudly clamour for scarce attention?
As the media pushes deeper into our lives, communication seems limitless: free speech transforms what is at stake in specific situations, on tech platforms and political protests, in university seminars and media debate.
What is Free Speech For? examines the gap between abstract discussions of free speech, and communication in democracies characterised by abundant speech but very little listening. It helps us understand this key concept important to human flourishing and the reality of how it is used and abused in contemporary societies.
As the media pushes deeper into our lives, communication seems limitless: free speech transforms what is at stake in specific situations, on tech platforms and political protests, in university seminars and media debate.
What is Free Speech For? examines the gap between abstract discussions of free speech, and communication in democracies characterised by abundant speech but very little listening. It helps us understand this key concept important to human flourishing and the reality of how it is used and abused in contemporary societies.
Reviews / Votes
"A brilliant book that highlights the unequal distribution of speech rights in contemporary capitalism. Elegantly written and packed with incisive examples, Titley places the issue of power right at the heart of free speech debates."Des Freedman, Goldsmiths, University of London
More details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
Not illustrated
Dimensions
Height: 203 mm
Width: 127 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-5292-3429-9 (9781529234299)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Gavan Titley is Professor of Media Studies in Maynooth University, Ireland. He is the author of Racism and Media (Sage, 2019), Is Free Speech Racist? (Polity, 2020), and The Crises of Multiculturalism (Bloomsbury 2011, with Alana Lentin).
Content
1. Crises
2. Free / Speech
3. Speakers
4. Democracy
5. Media
6. Publics
2. Free / Speech
3. Speakers
4. Democracy
5. Media
6. Publics