Abstract

This paper explores the concept of freedom of speech, as it relates to religion, focusing on recent European examples of tensions that surface secular mores and Islamic sensibilities, primarily the Charlie Hebdo incident. This paper argues that while offence to others does not breech free speech, when considering cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, we cannot ignore the geopolitical context. Such images may perpetuate stereotypes and be perceived as part of a neo-colonial project to denigrate minorities and the Muslim world. In particular, Islamophobia and the post-colonial context provide a context wherein the Islamic “Other” within Western societies is marginalised and often experiences oppression. Therefore, what appears to be legitimate freedom of speech may actually be a discourse of suppression. The paper also considers possible objections around individual autonomy and the power of religion, and suggests principles when considering the limits of freedom of speech.

Keywords: freedom of speech; Charlie Hebdo; Muhammad Cartoons; Jyllands-Posten; Islam; human rights; post-colonialism.

About the Author

Paul Hedges is Associate Professor in Interreligious Studies at the Studies in Inter-religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has previously worked for, or lectured at, other universities in Asia, Europe, and North America. He researches, teaches, and publishes widely in such areas as Interreligious Studies, theory and method in the study of religion, contemporary global religious ideologies, and interreligious hermeneutics. He has engaged in work beyond academia with the media, NGOs, faith groups, and governments. Recent books include Contemporary Muslim-Christian Encounters (Bloomsbury, 2015), Controversies in Contemporary Religion (3 volumes, Praeger, 2014), and Controversies in Interreligious Dialogue and the Theology of Religions (SCM, 2010).