Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

• An accessible and up-to-date examination of the principal arguments both for and against our right to maintain free speech
• Looks at controversial issues ranging from Holocaust denial and pornography, to the status of modern copyright law
• Relates philosophical arguments to present-day case studies, and combines traditional areas of discussion, such as J. S. Mill's arguments in On Liberty, with new applications and challenges to free speech, such as digital technology and the Internet

Readership: This short book will appeal to a wide audience: non-specialist, general readers; students of politics and philosophy; lawyers, politicians and policy-makers -- indeed anyone with an interest in the countless topical issues to do with free speech in society.

Nigel Warburton, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, The Open University

"The genius of Nigel Warburton's <i>Free Speech</i> lies not only in its extraordinary clarity and incisiveness. Just as important is the way Warburton addresses freedom of speech - and attempts to stifle it - as an issue for the 21st century. More than ever, we need this book." - Denis Dutton, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

"Crisp, clear and astute, this is a thought-provoking introduction to one of the most hotly contested questions of our time." - Lisa Appignanesi, President English PEN

1: Free Speech
2: A Free Market in Ideas?
3: Giving and Taking Offence
4: Censoring Pornography
5: Free Speech in the Age of the Internet
6: Conclusion: The Future of Free Speech

Nigel Warburton is teaching a six session evening course at the Free Word Centre in London this Autumn, organised in conjunction with the Bishopsgate institute. For more information click here
Nigel Warburton is a regular blogger on Free Speech for the Index on Censorship blog. Read his latest posts here.
Author Nigel Warburton introduces 'Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction' in this 'Meet the Author' video
Click here to find out more about Free Speech