The Hateful and the Obscene

Book excerpt: In a series of landmark decisions since 1990, Canadian courts have shaped a distinctive approach to the regulation of obscenity, hate literature, and child pornography. Missing from the debate, however, has been any attempt to determine whether the legal status quo can be justified by reference to a framework of moral/political principles. The Hateful and the Obscene is intended to fill that gap. The Hateful and the Obscene is an interpretation of freedom of expression that combines serious philosophical thought with a focus on Canadian law, thus offering the breadth capable of dealing with both obscenity and hate literature