The freedom to be racist?: how the united states and europe struggle to preserve freedom and combat racism

The Freedom to Be Racist? focuses on the tension between combating racism and protecting freedom of speech in the US, France, Britain, and Germany from 1945 to the present, and offers ways forward for the future. We love freedom. Wehate racism. But what do we do when these values collide? In this wide-ranging book, Erik Bleich explores policies that the United States, Britain, France,Germany, and other liberal democracies have implemented when forced to choosebetween preserving freedom and combating racism. Bleich's comparative historical approach reveals that while most countries have increased restrictions on racist speech, groups and actions since the end of World War II, this trendhas resembled a slow creep more than a slippery slope. Each country has struggled to achieve a balance between protecting freedom and reducing racism, and the outcomes have been starkly different across time and place. Building on these observations, Bleich argues that we should pay close attention tothe specific context and to the likely effects of any policy we implement, and that any response should be proportionate to the level of harm the racism inflicts. Ultimately, the best way for societies to preserve freedom while fighting racism is through processes of public deliberation that involve citizens in decisions that impact the core values of liberal democracies. An important, innovative book. Bleich shows us how much we can learn, both empirically and normatively, when we examine controversial public issues in comparative perspective. Simultaneously sweeping and meticulous, Erik Bleich's important examination of different national and legal responses to racial hate speech provides exactly the proper balance of insight and incitement. On a subject that usuallygenerates more shouting and ranting than careful, reasoned analysis, Erik Bleich has written a wise and illuminating book that should be essential reading for anyone who cares about the health of modern societies. Bleich has producedan outstanding book. His argument that varying restrictions on free speech are tolerable is a major intellectual advance. The book will stand out as an impressive contribution to multiple literatures. Bleich's study is unusually sophisticated in charting the dynamic interaction amongst social movements, legal doctrine, and state imperatives over time and through diverse contexts. This astute book will be of interest to scholars and general readers alike concernedwith the past and future of freedom and equality in the world's modern liberal democracies. INDICE: Introduction 1. Balancing Public Values-The Big Picture Part One: Freedom of Expression 2. European Restrictionism and its Variations 3. Holocaust Denial and its Extremes 4. American Exceptionalism and its Limits Part Two:Freedom of Association and Opinion-as-Motive 5. Banning Racist Groups and Parties 6. Punishing Racial Discrimination and Hate Crimes Conclusions 7. How Much Freedom for Racists? References

• ISBN: 978-0-19-973969-1
• Editorial: Oxford University
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Páginas: 224
• Fecha Publicación: 15/09/2011
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés