The Freedom to Be Racist?: How the United States and Europe Struggle to Preserve Freedom and Combat Racism

In this wide-ranging book, Erik Bleich explores policies that the US, Britain, France, Germany, and other liberal democracies have implemented when forced to choose between preserving freedom and combating racism. Bleich's comparative historical approach reveals that while most countries have increased restrictions on racist speech, groups and actions since the end of World War II, this trend has resembled a slow creep more than a slippery slope. Building on these observations, Bleich argues that we should pay close attention to the specific context and to the likely effects of any policy we implement, and that any response should be proportionate to the level of harm the racism inflicts.

Erik Bleich is Professor of Political Science at Middlebury College, and author of Race Politics in Britain and France.