Speech matters

A day-conference with Professor Seana Shiffrin on her book Speech Matters (Princeton, 2014)

Organised by the UCL Faculty of Laws and the UCL Institute for Human Rights

Accreditation: This event is accredited with 2.5 CPD hours with the SRA and BSB

The UCL Institute for Human Rights is hosting a one-day conference on Seana Shiffrin’s book, Speech Matters (Princeton University Press). Professor Shiffrin is one of the world’s leading legal and moral philosophers. Her recent book, Speech Matters, offers a new philosophical approach to freedom of speech and brings it to bear on a number of thorny legal and political issues. These include the legal regulation of lying and deception, police misrepresentation, restrictions on commercial speech, freedom of speech and academic freedom, freedom of speech of employees, and many others. Drawing on legal as well as philosophical arguments, the book defends a series of notable claims: that lying is a separate wrong from deception, that lies are not protected by free speech, that duress does not necessarily justify lying or breaking a promise and that police subvert their mission when they lie to suspects.

The conference features legal and moral philosophers commenting on each chapter of the book and reflecting on its relevance for contemporary legal issues. Professor Shiffrin will provide responses.

The participants

Professor Eric Barendt (University College London)

Dr Kate Greasley (University of Oxford)

Dr Amanda Greene (University College London)

Dr Nicholas Hatzis (City University London)

Anthony Julius (Mischon de Reya)

Professor Leslie Kendrick (University of Virginia)

Dr Jeff King (University College London)

Professor Rae Langton (University of Cambridge)

Professor Cécile Laborde (University College London)

Professor George Letsas (University College London)

Dr Virginia Mantouvalou (University College London)

Dr Chris Mills (University College London)

Professor Véronique Munoz-Dardé (University College London)

Professor David Owens (King’s College London)

Dr Prince Saprai (University College London)

Professor Micah Schwartzman (University of Virginia)

Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA Law)

Professor Nicos Stavropoulos (University of Oxford)

The programme

MORNING SESSION

09:00-09:30
Registration

09:30-10:00
‘Chapter 1: Lies and the Murderer Next Door’
– Dr Kate Greasley (University of Oxford) and
– Dr Chris Mills (University College London)
Chair: Professor George Letsas (University College London)

10:00-10:15

Response by Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA)

10:15-10:30
Q&A session

10:30-11:00
‘Chapter 2: Duress and Moral Progress’
– Professor David Owens (King’s College London) and
– Dr Prince Saprai (University College London)
Chair: Dr Virginia Mantouvalou (University College London)

11:00-11:15
Response by Professor Seana Shifrrin (UCLA)

11:15-11:30
Q&A session

11:30-11:45
Refreshment break

11:45-12:00
‘Chapter 3: A Thinker-Based Approach to Freedom of Speech’
– Professor George Letsas (University College London) and
– Professor Eric Barendt (University College London)
Chair: Professor Véronique Munoz-Dardé (University College London)

12:00-12:15
Response by Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA)

12:15-12:30
Q&A session

12:30-13:30
Lunch

AFTERNOON SESSION

14:00-14:30
‘Chapter 4: Lying and Freedom of Speech’
– Professor Rae Langton (University of Cambridge) and
– Professor Leslie Kendrick (University of Virginia)
Chair: Dr Jeff King (University College London)

14:30-14:45
Responses by Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA)

14:45-15:00
Q&A Session

15:00-15:30
‘Chapter 5: Accommodation, Equality and the Liar’
– Dr Nicholas Hatzis (City University London) and
– Professor Micah Schwartzman (University of Virginia)
Chair: Professor Cécile Laborde (University College London)

15:30-15:45
Responses by Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA)

15:45-16:00
Q&A session

16:00-16:15
Refreshment break

16:15-16:45
‘Chapter 6: Sincerity and Institutional Values’
– Dr Amanda Greene (University College London)
Chair: Anthony Julius (Mishcon de Reya)

16:45-17:00
Responses by Professor Seana Shiffrin (UCLA)

17:00-17:15
Q&A session