“Differences in Transatlantic Attitudes Toward Free Speech”
As our communication and public discourse have shifted to the internet, fake news and hate speech have surged. Their effects on the political climate and, possibly, the outcome of elections have given rise for calls to legislate against them. While Europeans appear to be more susceptible to such arguments, the USA remains a firm supporter of a more permissive definition of free speech.
At this dinner discussion, James Kirchick will discuss differences in attitude as well as recent developments and arguments regarding this topic. A widely published journalist himself and a leading voice on American gay politics, he is familiar with the tension between hate speech and free speech and a staunch defender of the latter. His expertise includes both American and European politics. He is the author of ‚The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues and the Coming Dark Age‘ (Yale, 2017).