Is Free Speech Racist?

Gavan Titley's book "Is Free Speech Racist?" explores why racism has become so central to intense disputes about the status and remit of freedom of speech in multicultural and mediated societies. It traces how free speech has been mobilized in far-right politics, the recycling of 'race realism and other discredited forms of knowledge, and the politics of immigration and integration, revealing much about the ongoing life of race and racism in contemporary society.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 24 July 2020
Publisher: Polity Press

The issue of free speech is consistently in the news and is frequently described as being in crisis. Gavan Titley begins his examination by noting that these discussions frequently center on what can and cannot be said about race, which leads him to question why racism has become such a central issue in intense debates about the status and scope of freedom of speech.

The book "Is Free Speech Racist?" moves beyond the constant debates about the boundaries of speech and instead focuses on how the principle of free speech is applied in today's multicultural and highly mediated societies. This involves exploring how free speech has been used in far-right politics, the recycling of discredited forms of knowledge, and the politics of immigration and integration. In contexts where there is intense political contention and public confusion about what constitutes racism and who has the authority.

The book argues that free speech has been adopted as a primary tool for amplifying and revitalizing racist ideas and racializing claims. It reveals much about the ongoing presence of race and racism in contemporary society.

Weight: 176g
Dimension: 124 x 190 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509536160