Synopses & Reviews
A sceptical appraisal of the claim that freedom of expression is a human right.
Review
Others claim it is necessary for self-actualization, the promotion of truth, or the exchange of ideas. Alexander surprisingly contends, in this tightly argued book, that freedom of expression is not a human right.
Choice
Synopsis
In this provocative book, Alexander offers a sceptical appraisal of the claim that freedom of expression is a human right. He examines the various contexts in which a right to freedom of expression might be asserted and concludes that such a right cannot be supported in any of these contexts.
About the Author
Larry Alexander is Warren Distinguished Professor, University of San Diego School of Law.
Table of Contents
Introduction; Part I. Defining Human Rights and Delimiting the Scope of Freedom of Expression: 1. Preliminaries: what is a human right, and what activities implicate freedom of expression?; 2. Freedom of expression and regulations that affect messages but are not enacted for that reason; 3. The puzzles of governmental purpose; Part II. The Core of Freedom of Expression: Government Regulations and Acts Taken To Affect Messages: 4. The core of freedom of expression: regulations of conduct for the purpose of affecting messages received; 5. Track three: Government speech and subsidies of speech; 6. Miscellaneous regulations of expression; Part III. Theoretical Perspectives on Freedom of Expression: 7. General justifying theories of freedom of expression; 8. The paradoxes of liberalism and the failure of theories justifying a right of freedom of expression; Epilogue: 9. Muddling through: freedom of expression in the absence of a human right.