Meaning of a Global Perspective
A global perspective on freedom of expression borrows from different disciplines and theories, including international law, global norms formation, comparative jurisprudence and international legal pluralism.
Teaching Freedom of Expression Without Frontiers
Developed by Columbia Global Freedom of Expression with partners from around the world, Freedom of Expression Without Frontiers offers academic and training resources on the laws, institutions and actors that have founded a global system of freedom of expression and information.
The website is organized around nine Teaching and Training Modules. It includes a general introduction to the core concept of a global perspective, and pedagogical resources designed by professors and trainers from different parts of the world and across different disciplines. Each of the Modules includes different subject areas, which may be taught separately. Lecture materials can be sorted according to various categories, from core readings to toolkits, and including textbooks, standards, jurisprudence, and multimedia. The portal allows users to select readings, whose list can be downloaded at the end of their web visit (under Collection).
The target audience are professors, trainers and other experts eager to offer courses and approaches that privilege trans-national and global understanding of freedom of expression, transcend a particular jurisdiction, national or cultural standpoint, and help students and others develop a more nuanced and critical understanding of freedom of expression.
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Theoretical Foundations
Drawing on the work of thinkers from various political, cultural and religious traditions, the Module provides resources that explore why freedom of expression and information matters.
International System of Protection
The resources on this Module highlight the many commonalities between the United Nations system of protection for freedom of expression, and the regional systems in Europe, Africa and the Americas.
Scope of Freedom of Expression
This Module focuses on the extent and limits of freedom of expression under international human rights treaties beginning with the ICCPR, as well as under the regional human rights conventions of Europe, the Americas and Africa.
Freedom of the media
This Module focuses on the written press, radio and television broadcasting. The resources are organized according to the two principles that govern Media regulation -diversity and pluralism - and their meaning as applied to different mediums.
Journalism
This Module explores how the practice of journalism has been defined and protected by international and regional law and bodies, from the rejection of licensing to the protection of journalistic sources, and including self-regulation.
Freedom of Expression Online
The resources on this Module focus on some of the complex issues related to the digital exercise of freedom of expression. Internet, social media, search engines have largely transformed expression, information, communication.
Types of Expressions
The resources on this Module explore the nature and extent of freedom of expression through a focus on specific speech or speakers, such as political speech, art, or protest.
Conflict of rights and interests
International human rights law suggests a “balance of rights” approach to assess the legitimacy of state restriction to freedom of expression.
Right to Information and Transparency
The resources on this Module explore the nature and extent of the right to information.The readings include standards on the right to access government held information, open court and open parliament.
Syllabus, Training and Forum
This page offers pedagogical resources, such as syllabi, exams and exercises designed by professors and trainers from different parts of the world and across different disciplines.
SDG Summit: A missed opportunity for freedom of expression and information
The article reports on the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which took place in New York in September 2023. The author argues that the summit failed to address the importance of freedom of expression and access to information in sustainable development. ARTICLE 19 had advocated for the protection of these rights in the lead-up to the summit, but world leaders failed to include them in their statements.