freedom of speech Archives

University discipline statute retains ‘problematic clauses’ despite year-long consultation

Proposed changes to Oxford University’s disciplinary code have faced criticism for retaining “problematic clauses” that “remain at risk of overreach”, despite a year-long consultation...

Doctor Zhivago: The banned book the CIA smuggled across the Iron Curtain

“May it make its way around the world. You are hereby invited to watch me face the firing squad.” These were the words of Boris...

Twenty-seven years on from The Satanic Verses: Can works of fiction be political?

On the 16th May, the man who stabbed author Salman Rushdie following a literary event in 2022 was sentenced to 25 years in prison....

Oxford study reveals support for online content moderation over freedom of speech

A global study recently conducted by the University of Oxford and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has shown that most people are in...

Oxford can win on both free speech and EDI

Author note: Professor Tim Soutphommasane is the University’s Chief Diversity Officer, and was the Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner from 2013-2018. Summers in Britain are increasingly...

How much do we really value free speech?

That is to say, you can vehemently disagree with someone, but in dealing with academic research, the basis for these critiques should be ‘this is why you are wrong’, rather than ‘I don’t like what you are saying’.

Oxford’s JCRs and MCRs to be exempt from higher education freedom of speech bill

"The bill states that higher education providers and their student unions must 'secure freedom of speech'".

Polarising the free speech debate

The question of who deserves our attention does not allow us easy answers.

Counter-terrorism measures threaten democracy

Recent abuses of regulation lay bare the extent of its politicisation.

MEP writes to University Vice-Chancellor after being disinvited by Polish Society

Catherine Bearder called on the University to ensure the society adhered to free speech guidelines

The rights and responsibilities of fighting ‘evil speeches’

We violate our liberties if we give way to censorship, but freedom should not entail letting hate speech go unchallenged

The simplification of our politics is a modern scourge

Simplistic, outraged rhetoric and a failure to focus on nuance prevents proper debate at a time when it is more important than ever

C+: “Free speech is the lifeblood of a university” says Oxford—but is it under threat amongst today’s “snowflake” students?

C+ reveal the surprising political divide in opinion on freedom of speech in Oxford

C+: Student testimonials on free speech in Oxford

As part of the survey conducted to gather experiences and opinions of students in Oxford, C+ collected anonymised comments from students on their perceptions of freedom of speech in Oxford.

Tag: freedom of speech