At the Limits of Free Speech: The Conditions that Enable Islamophobic Discourse

Abstract

Background: This article revisits a 2008 complaint brought against the Canadian magazine Maclean’s for its publication of excerpts from Mark Steyn’s 2006 book America Alone, a complaint whose dismissal was seen as affirmation of the principle of freedom of speech. The authors refute this claim, invoking the moral principles that underpin free speech, interrogating the notion of an ideal speech situation and an equitable public sphere in a case that involves racism and unequal power relations, and commenting on the pressures placed upon academics and activists who seek to counter anti-Muslim discourse. This article is a co-written analysis that includes the personal recollections of one author who was involved in the case.