Free Speech on Campus

By: Erwin Chemerinsky, Howard Gillman

Narrated by: James Edward Thomas

Can free speech coexist with an inclusive campus environment?

Hardly a week goes by without another controversy over free speech on college campuses. On one side, there are increased demands to censor hateful, disrespectful, and bullying expression and to ensure an inclusive and nondiscriminatory learning environment. On the other side are traditional free speech advocates who charge that recent demands for censorship coddle students and threaten free inquiry. In this clear and carefully reasoned book, a university chancellor and a law school dean - both constitutional scholars who teach a course in free speech to undergraduates - argue that campuses must provide supportive learning environments for an increasingly diverse student body but can never restrict the expression of ideas. This book provides the background necessary to understanding the importance of free speech on campus and offers clear prescriptions for what colleges can and can't do when dealing with free speech controversies.

Jacket illustration by Jim Luft, Luft-Leone Design.

©2017 Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

A must read for understanding the 1st Amendment!

This book is essential for today's educators and students. Some parts may be a little repetitive, but in a way this is a necessary technique to drive home the points. Will make one rethink the methods of learning employed in higher education settings.

Higher education must foster and protect open dialogue

As an academic, I felt unsure about how to properly balance free speech with protection of students. This book provides an excellent framework and set of arguments for getting it right. Highly recommended, especially for academics.

Weird “middle of the road” take

The authors claim to offer a middle of the road approach that balances traditional free speech values with values of protection from offensive ideas but they don’t. They just argue for standard American free speech values and add nothing new to the debate.