250 Years of Freedom of Expression
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THE LEGACY OF PETER FORSSKÅL In 2016, the world commemorated the sestercentennial adoption of His Majesty’s THE LEGACY OF PETER FORSSKÅL Gracious Ordinance Relating to Freedom of Writing and of the Press. The passage of the Ordinance in 1766 in Sweden – which at the time comprised today’s Sweden and Finland – was preceded by intense political and scholarly debate. Peter Forsskål put 250 Years of Freedom himself at the centre of that debate, when he in 1759 published the pamphlet Thoughts on Civil Liberty, consisting of 21 paragraphs setting out his thoughts advocating of Expression against oppression and tyranny and championing civil rights for everyone. Historical perspectives are fruitful in many respects, and this is why Forsskål’s words still resonate. But we must be careful not to use the tracks of history to create myths about today – instead anniversaries like the one concerning the Ordinance can be UllaEdited by Carlsson and David Goldberg used as a starting point for debate – to discuss our history and where we stand now in terms of freedom of expression, the right to information and freedom of the press. It was against such a backdrop that a seminar was organized as a side event, part of UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day in Helsinki, 3 May 2016, and co-organized by the National Archives of Finland, Project Forsskal and the UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression, Media Development and Global Policy at the University of Gothenburg. This publication is based on that seminar. United Nations UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression, Educational, Scientific and Media Development and Global Policy Cultural Organization Sweden EDITED BY Ulla Carlsson and David Goldberg PROJECT FORSSKAL JMG – DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION Books on FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research (NORDICOM) Freedom of Expression and Media in Transition The Assault on Journalism on Assault The People who exercise their right to freedom of expression through journalism should The issues raised by today’s global and multicultural societies are complex, and it is urgent for the research community to help improve our understanding Everyone has the right to be able to practice their work without restrictions. They are, nonetheless, the constant targets of violence and threats. In an era of globalization and digitization, of the current problems. Digitization and globalization have changed our no single party can alone carry the responsibility for protection of journalism and communication systems in terms of time, space and social behaviour; Freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. Instead, this responsibility must be assumed jointly by they have resulted in a transformation of functions as well as management the state, the courts, media companies and journalist organizations, as well as by practices and the market by adding new types of transnational companies. NGOs and civil society – on national as well as global levels. The context of freedom of expression has shifted. Expression; this right includes To support joint efforts to protect journalism, there is a growing need for research- The AssaultIn 2009, Nordicom published Freedom of Speech Abridged? Cultural, legal freedom to hold opinions based knowledge. Acknowledging this need, the aim of this publication is to and philosophical challenges, and a few years later Freedom of Expression highlight and fuel journalist safety as a field of research, to encourage worldwide Revisited. Citizenship and journalism in the digital era. The current participation, as well as to inspire further dialogues and new research initiatives. publication may be seen as a follow-up to these earlier titles. It is based without interference and The contributions represent diverse perspectives on both empirical and theoretical on Journalism on research in the Nordic countries, but many of the studies are global in research and offer many quantitatively and qualitatively informed insights. The nature and the result of collaborations between researchers from many parts to seek, receive and impart articles demonstrate that a new important interdisciplinary research field is in fact Building Knowledge to Protect emerging, and that the fundamental issue remains identical: Violence and threats of the world. It is hoped that this collection will contribute to knowledge against journalists constitute an attack on freedom of expression. Freedomdevelopment of Expression in the field as well as to global and regional discussions information and ideas Edited by about freedom of expression, press freedom, and communication rights in The publication is the result of collaboration between the UNESCO Chair at the contemporary societies. University of Gothenburg, UNESCO, IAMCR and a range of other partners. through any Media and Ulla Carlsson and Reeta Pöyhtäri Ulla Carlsson is Professor, and holder of the UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression, Media Development and Global Policy at the University of Gothenburg. She is the regardless of frontiers. former Director of Nordicom. in Transition Edited by Studies and Reflections in the Digital Age United Nations UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression, Educational, Scientific and Media Development and Global Policy Edited by Ulla Carlsson and Reeta Pöyhtäri ulla carlsson Cultural Organization Sweden Edited by Ulla Carlsson United Nations UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression, Educational, Scientific and Media Development and Global Policy Cultural Organization Sweden JMG – DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM, JMG – DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION Freedom of Speech Abridged? Freedom of Expression Revisited The Internet and the ongoing digitization of media have transformed media Freedom of Speech Abridged? Cultural, Legal and Philosophical Challenges landscapes and in turn the social functions of media and the structure of both contains eleven essays that recognize free speech as a fundamental value governance and markets. In recent years, there has been widespread concern under fire in a time of globalization. The contributors are professionals in about the ability of the media to maintain and develop their role as a pillar of various fields working in the Nordic countries, who have been engaged over democracy. Issues regarding freedom of expression, freedom of information Freedom ofthe Expressionyears in debates on free speech issues from different angles. Freedom of Speech and freedom of the press are more complex than ever. Ever more far-reaching media are spreading expressions to new publics. The Nordic region – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – is In a world steadily growing smaller, where different cultures and religions among the most technology-intensive and “wired” regions in the world. These Revisitedformerly less exposed to each other are being brought together, basic ideas wit ak de cracy countries are similar in many respects, including their media systems. In the about speech need to be expressed and rethought. Free speech cannot be Abridged? era of globalization, however, the Nordic countries are undergoing change unlimited, and all discussions of this right or value imply considerations of on many fronts. From the point of view of welfare politics and democratic where limits are to be drawn. Using quite diverse approaches, the essays in processes, these changes pose numerous challenges. this book all reflect upon the importance and implications of free speech in Cultural, Legal and Philosophical Challenges Citizenship and Journalismnew contexts. in the Digital Era The theme of this volume – Freedom of Expression Revisited. Citizenship and Journalism in the Digital Era – could be summarized as critical perspectives Edited by on experiences and conceptions of freedom of expression and the media in Anine Kierulf (1974) is a PhD research fellow at The Department of Public and International Law, and Helge Rønning (1943) is Professor of Media Studies, both contemporary communication societies. The book reflects Nordic as well as Edited by at the University of Oslo, Norway. global perspectives. The contributors are leading Nordic scholars, but also anine kierulf & helge rønning & helge anine kierulf professionals outside the Nordic region, who have been engaged for years in research on freedom of expression from different angels. ulla carlsson In 2009, Nordicom published the book Freedom of Speech Abridged? Cultural, Legal and Philosophical Challenges written by researchers and authors work- ing in the Nordic countries. The present book may be seen as a follow-up to this earlier volume. Edited by Edited by ulla carlsson anine kierulf & helge rønning NORDICOM NordicNORDICOM Information Centre for Media and Communication Research Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research University of Gothenburg University of Gothenburg Box 713, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden Box 713, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden Telephone +46 31 786 00 00 (op.) Telephone +46 31 786 00 00 (op.) Fax +46 31 786 46 55 Fax +46 31 786 46 55 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.nordicom.gu.se www.nordicom.gu.se NORDICOM NORDICOM NORDICOM www.nordicom.gu.se PROJECT FORSSKAL Project Forsskal began 1992. Karel Kodeda informed David Goldberg about Forsskal’s 1759 pamphlet (banned in 1760) which promoted the right to access information as well as freedom of expression. The original members (see http://www. peterforsskal.info/about.html) made the first-ever translation into English ofTankar