Content related to France Peeing on Pétain Eric Heinze examines the boundary between civil disobedience and desecration. Is there a universal right to free speech and what are its limits? Timothy Garton Ash in conversation with Nigel Warburton, as part of the Philosophy in the Bookshop series at Blackwell’s, Oxford. From censorship by government to censorship by terrorism Paul Cliteur and Tom Herrenberg, editors of a book on The Fall and Rise of Blasphemy Law, consider the changing nature of censorship. Hong Kong vs Goliath: Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and the old tactic of boycotts With Canto-pop star Denise Ho and bookseller-turned-whistleblower Lam Wing-Kee, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement put the old tactic of boycotts to new use. Charlie Hebdo cartoons: to republish or not to republish? Sarah Glatte explores the question which divided the world’s media. Has France been hypocritical about free speech? In the shadow of the Charlie Hebdo assassinations, Arthur Asseraf examines the history of French colonial double standards in Algeria. Does Charlie Hebdo drift into racist caricatures? The first edition of the magazine since the attack in which 12 people were killed featured a cartoon of Muhammad on its cover. Myriam Francois-Cerrah objects. Against the assassin’s veto Timothy Garton Ash suggests a European media week of solidarity, including republication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons. Should Europe introduce a right to blasphemy? Alain Bouldoires talks to Timothy Garton Ash about the survival of blasphemy laws in Europe, and calls for a ‘right to blaspheme’. EU versus intellectual freedom? In a bid to synchronise hate crimes, the EU is seeking unity amongst members states against the denial of historical injustices. Is this the EU versus member states’ appreciation of intellectual freedom? Luigi Cajani explains. ‘They used the oven to get tanned, you know…’ Marc-Antoine Dilhac recounts how he confronted anti-semitic prejudice in a French classroom, and argues that more good comes from an open debate about hate speech than from banning it. The difference between genocide and crimes against humanity We regularly highlight comments that have made an impression on us. Antoon de Baets left an insightful response to Josie Appleton’s discussion of memory laws in France. Brigitte Bardot’s repeated convictions for inciting racial hatred Should a world famous actress be allowed to denounce an ‘overpopulation’ by foreigners? By Michèle Finck. Freedom for history? The case against memory laws Josie Appleton talks to Pierre Nora and Olivier Salvatori of the Liberté pour l’Histoire initiative in France. Has the Strasbourg court allowed too much for local taboos? At the European Court of Human Rights, the case of I.A. against Turkey in 2005 acted as a controversial precedent for limiting Article 10’s definition of freedom of expression in the name of religion, explains Michele Finck. Why the EU’s “harmonisation machine” should stay away from history Claus Leggewie and Horst Meier explain why memory laws are the wrong way for Europeans to remember and debate their difficult pasts. France’s Armenian genocide law In January 2012, the French Senate approved a law criminalising the denial of any genocide recognised by the state, writes Clementine de Montjoye. Punishing users of extremist websites French President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed a law to punish readers of websites promoting terrorism and violence, writes Clementine de Montjoye. ACTA: Open agreement secretly arrived at? The secretive approach adopted by parties in negotiating the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement constrained the ability of the public to challenge limits on free expression, writes Graham Reynolds. Broadcasting a massacre In March 2012, self-proclaimed jihadist Mohammed Merah strapped a camera to his chest before killing seven people in France. Al-Jazeera TV channel opted not to show the footage, writes Jeff Howard. The enemies of the internet Belarus and Bahrain are the latest additions to the Reporters Without Borders’ “Enemies of the Internet” 2012 list while France and Australia are “under surveillance”. Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s ‘perp walk’ Was it right to make Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of the IMF, do the “perp walk” after he was charged with sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York? Clementine de Montjoye argues no. The Piss Christ Since its creation in 1987, Artist Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ, a plastic crucifix in a jar of urine, has divided opinion. In April 2011, the artwork was irreparably damaged by vandals at the Collection Lambert art museum. Katie Engelhart considers whether it was right for the museum to have exhibited the work.
Is there a universal right to free speech and what are its limits? Timothy Garton Ash in conversation with Nigel Warburton, as part of the Philosophy in the Bookshop series at Blackwell’s, Oxford.
From censorship by government to censorship by terrorism Paul Cliteur and Tom Herrenberg, editors of a book on The Fall and Rise of Blasphemy Law, consider the changing nature of censorship.
Hong Kong vs Goliath: Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and the old tactic of boycotts With Canto-pop star Denise Ho and bookseller-turned-whistleblower Lam Wing-Kee, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement put the old tactic of boycotts to new use.
Charlie Hebdo cartoons: to republish or not to republish? Sarah Glatte explores the question which divided the world’s media.
Has France been hypocritical about free speech? In the shadow of the Charlie Hebdo assassinations, Arthur Asseraf examines the history of French colonial double standards in Algeria.
Does Charlie Hebdo drift into racist caricatures? The first edition of the magazine since the attack in which 12 people were killed featured a cartoon of Muhammad on its cover. Myriam Francois-Cerrah objects.
Against the assassin’s veto Timothy Garton Ash suggests a European media week of solidarity, including republication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons.
Should Europe introduce a right to blasphemy? Alain Bouldoires talks to Timothy Garton Ash about the survival of blasphemy laws in Europe, and calls for a ‘right to blaspheme’.
EU versus intellectual freedom? In a bid to synchronise hate crimes, the EU is seeking unity amongst members states against the denial of historical injustices. Is this the EU versus member states’ appreciation of intellectual freedom? Luigi Cajani explains.
‘They used the oven to get tanned, you know…’ Marc-Antoine Dilhac recounts how he confronted anti-semitic prejudice in a French classroom, and argues that more good comes from an open debate about hate speech than from banning it.
The difference between genocide and crimes against humanity We regularly highlight comments that have made an impression on us. Antoon de Baets left an insightful response to Josie Appleton’s discussion of memory laws in France.
Brigitte Bardot’s repeated convictions for inciting racial hatred Should a world famous actress be allowed to denounce an ‘overpopulation’ by foreigners? By Michèle Finck.
Freedom for history? The case against memory laws Josie Appleton talks to Pierre Nora and Olivier Salvatori of the Liberté pour l’Histoire initiative in France.
Has the Strasbourg court allowed too much for local taboos? At the European Court of Human Rights, the case of I.A. against Turkey in 2005 acted as a controversial precedent for limiting Article 10’s definition of freedom of expression in the name of religion, explains Michele Finck.
Why the EU’s “harmonisation machine” should stay away from history Claus Leggewie and Horst Meier explain why memory laws are the wrong way for Europeans to remember and debate their difficult pasts.
France’s Armenian genocide law In January 2012, the French Senate approved a law criminalising the denial of any genocide recognised by the state, writes Clementine de Montjoye.
Punishing users of extremist websites French President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed a law to punish readers of websites promoting terrorism and violence, writes Clementine de Montjoye.
ACTA: Open agreement secretly arrived at? The secretive approach adopted by parties in negotiating the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement constrained the ability of the public to challenge limits on free expression, writes Graham Reynolds.
Broadcasting a massacre In March 2012, self-proclaimed jihadist Mohammed Merah strapped a camera to his chest before killing seven people in France. Al-Jazeera TV channel opted not to show the footage, writes Jeff Howard.
The enemies of the internet Belarus and Bahrain are the latest additions to the Reporters Without Borders’ “Enemies of the Internet” 2012 list while France and Australia are “under surveillance”.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s ‘perp walk’ Was it right to make Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of the IMF, do the “perp walk” after he was charged with sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York? Clementine de Montjoye argues no.
The Piss Christ Since its creation in 1987, Artist Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ, a plastic crucifix in a jar of urine, has divided opinion. In April 2011, the artwork was irreparably damaged by vandals at the Collection Lambert art museum. Katie Engelhart considers whether it was right for the museum to have exhibited the work.