CENTRE FOR CHINESE LAW
Political Leadership and Hate Speech
Dr. Alexander Brown
Date: September 3, 2019 (Tuesday)
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Venue: 11/F Conference Room, Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU
Language: English
Abstract：
What is hate speech? Why do some political figures use hate speech? Why do some political figures accuse each other of hate speaking? Is the use of hate speech by political figures especially dangerous or irresponsible? Do political figures have any special duties to refrain from hate speech? What laws or legal devices could be employed to stop political figures from using hate speech? What about the fact that political speech is high value speech? What if authorities misuse hate speech laws to illegitimately silence opposition leaders or political protestors? In this talk Dr. Brown asks and answers these difficult questions about political leadership and hate speech, and draws on examples primarily from Europe, North America and Africa. He also considers the implications for political figures in Hong Kong and mainland China.
About the speaker:
Dr. Alexander Brown is Reader in Political and Legal Theory at the University of East Anglia (UEA), United Kingdom. He is the author of The Politics of Hate Speech Laws (Routledge, 2019), A Theory of Legitimate Expectations for Public Administration (Oxford University Press, 2017), Hate Speech Law: A Philosophical Examination (Routledge, 2015), Ronald Dworkin’s Theory of Equality: Domestic and Global Perspectives (Palgrave, 2009), and Personal Responsibility: Why it Matters (Continuum, 2009). He has also published widely in politics, philosophy and law journals, including on the concept of hate speech, protected characteristics in hate speech law, the use of civil torts for hate speech, the nature of online hate speech and its captive audiences, and precautionary approaches in hate speech regulation.
Please register ONLINE (or via www.ccl.law.hku.hk/) to reserve a place.