Campus Hate Speech on Trial

In the first edition of this pathbreaking book, Timothy C. Shiell made the case that campus speech codes-no matter how well grounded in history, law, or philosophy-had done far more harm than good. He argued that they tended to be overbroad, arbitrarily enforced, and used selectively to protect only certain groups at the expense of others. More than a decade later, restrictions on faculty and student speech on college campuses continue to be hotly contested in the mainstream media, on the Internet, in the journals of academic disciplines, and in courtrooms, classrooms, and chatrooms. This revised edition adds substantial new material that updates cases and conflicts during the past decade, expands the original's coverage of the relevant literature, and dramatically reinforces Shiell's argument.

"A fair-minded and significant contribution to the study of an important public issue."—Andrew Altman, author of Arguing about Law and Critical Legal Studies

"An accessible book that synthesizes the vast literature on this topic. . . . A model of clarity and fairness, it is an extremely valuable book for anyone interested in a balanced treatment of the background of campus speech codes, the experience under them, and the difficult issues they pose."—Journal of American History

"A well-written work [and] required reading for anyone interested in the debate."—Library Journal

Law & Politics Book Review

A worthwhile read for anyone in an academic institution. Campus Hate Speech on Trial will appeal as a classroom text and will provide faculty and administrators with analysis in an area where rhetoric is too often the norm.

Timothy C. Shiell is professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and editor of the volume Legal Philosophy: Selected Readings.