Past Events
- Edinburgh International Book Festival 2005
- The Right To Be Offensive
- Venue: Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh
- Date: August 19, 2005
- Time: 7.30pm
- Tickets: £8 (£6 concs)
- Booking: Call 0131 624 5050 or visit the festival website
Since 9/11, concerns about rising Islamophobia have led to calls for bans on speech deemed offensive to religious minorities. The London government is proposing to outlaw incitement to religious hatred, and critics speculate that this legislation may lead writers, theatres and publishers to censor themselves. Even without such a law, the play Behzti was closed at Birmingham Rep, following protests by Sikhs, and while the screening of Jerry Springer the Opera on BBC television survived widespread objections from Christian groups, the BBC cartoon series Popetown was cancelled for fear of causing offence to Catholics.
Would the proposed law amount to a new kind of thought crime? It is not difficult to imagine the chilling effect this would have upon art, let alone upon journalism and politics. But is a certain amount of restraint and regulation necessary to protect minorities and ensure an inclusive society? Or without the right to be offensive, is there no meaningful right to free speech or creative licence at all?
Speakers include
- Dolan Cummings
- research director, Institute of Ideas and editor of Culture Wars
- Richard Holloway
- author of 'Godless Morality'; chair, Scottish Arts Council
- Tom Morris
- writer, producer and broadcaster; associate director, National Theatre
- Tim Parks
- author; novels include 'Europa', 'Destiny', 'Judge Savage' and most recently 'Rapids'
Chair
- Claire Fox
- director, Institute of Ideas; panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze