Freedom of Expression Under Fire: How We Can Rebuild the Foundation of American Democracy

How can we rebuild a culture of free expression?

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, free speech and press freedom face unprecedented threats from campus censorship, social media content moderation, and government pressure campaigns. From college students afraid to voice opinions in class to journalists facing investigations, the First Amendment foundations of American democracy are under multiple threats in ways the Founders never imagined.

Stuart N. Brotman, America's leading public scholar on free expression, takes complex constitutional issues out of academic ivory towers and makes them accessible to everyday Americans navigating these turbulent times. Having served on the faculties of leading universities at home and abroad, and on legal teams in notable Supreme Court cases, Brotman provides insider insights into how campus speech policies backfire, why tech platforms make controversial content decisions, and what happens when governments attempt to regulate on-air and online expression.

Perfect for readers of The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch and The Fight for Free Speech by Ian Rosenberg, this urgent examination reveals why protecting constitutional rights requires more than legal victories—it demands rebuilding a durable free expression culture that values open debate.

From landmark Pentagon Papers to contemporary social media controversies, from campus free speech conflicts to global internet freedom battles, Brotman shows how historical lessons can guide us through current challenges. As America 250 celebrations begin, discover why free expression isn't just about protecting rights—it's about safeguarding the democratic experiment itself for future generations.

Stuart N. Brotman is America's leading public scholar on free expression and Digital Media Laureate at The Media Institute. He served in four Presidential administrations on a bipartisan basis, and was the first Visiting Professor of Entertainment and Media Law at Harvard Law School, with concurrent appointments at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center and MIT's Program in Comparative Media Studies. An elected member of The American Law Institute, Brotman has participated in several First Amendment Supreme Court cases and provided expert counsel to government agencies and major media companies. His expert commentary has reached over 500 million readers globally, along with audiences on major networks such as ABC, NBC, CNN, C-SPAN, and NPR.