Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression:
Comparative, Theoretical and Historical Reflections after the Charlie Hebdo Massacre
Jeroen Temperman and András Koltay, eds.
Cambridge University Press Academic 2017

The tension between blasphemy laws and the freedom of expression in modern times is a key area of debate within legal academia and beyond. With contributions by leading scholars, this volume compares blasphemy laws within a number of Western liberal democracies and debates the legitimacy of these laws in the twenty-first century. Including comprehensive and up-to-date comparative country studies, this book considers the formulation of blasphemy bans, relevant jurisprudential interpretations, the effect on society, and the ensuing convictions and penalties where applicable. It provides a useful historical analysis by discussing the legal-political rationales behind the recent abolition of blasphemy laws in some Western states. Contributors also consider the challenges to the tenability of blasphemy laws in a selection of well-balanced theoretical chapters. This book is essential reading for scholars working within the fields of human rights law, philosophy and sociology of religion, and comparative politics.

• Considers a range of multi-disciplinary perspectives in exploring the history and current relevancy of blasphemy laws
• Contains comparative country studies which outline the reasons behind the abolition of blasphemy laws in certain states and where they are active or dormant elsewhere
• Includes an important doctrinal debate on the legitimacy of blasphemy laws

Editors
Jeroen Temperman is Professor of Public International Law and Religion, and Deputy Head of the Department of International and European Union Law at Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.

András Koltay is Associate Professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Law in Budapest, Hungary.

Contributors
Eric Barendt, András Koltay, Jeroen Temperman, Guilhem Gil, Neville Cox, Ian Cram, Mark Hill QC, Russell Sandberg, Peter Cumper, Robert Kahn, John Knechtle,Tom Lewis, Tuomas Äystö, Cristiana Cianitto, Matthias Cornils, Effie Fokas, Joanna Kulesza, Jan Kulesza, Lars Grassmé Binderup, Eva Maria Lassen, Tarlach McGonagle, Richard Moon, Helen Pringle, Russell Weaver, Helge Årsheim, Ivan Hare, Erica Howard, Esther Janssen, Marc Limon, Nazila Ghanea, Hilary Power, Andrew Hambler, Brett Scharffs