We all know that the First Amendment protects the Freedom of Speech: Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech. But just how far does that protection extend? For over a century, political theorists and Supreme Court justices alike have been engaged in an effort to define what the Freedom of Speech is, what it isn’t, and what it could be. The answer may not be what we expect. In this course, we’ll develop nuanced and informed opinions on the Freedom of Speech. We’ll study major works of free speech theory and landmark Supreme Court cases like Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, New York Times v. Sullivan, and Citizens United v. FEC to understand how First Amendment jurisprudence has evolved in the last century. We’ll also explore contemporary debates that are central to the Freedom of Speech question, including the regulation of social media and campaign finance reform.

Photo by Randy110912 / CC BY-SA 4.0