43 You Can’t Say That! Exploring Freedom of Speech in Art and the Law

HUM 300: You Can’t Say That! Exploring Freedom of Speech in Art and the Law

HUM 300 Faculty

Course Description
This course examines Supreme Court cases that have determined the limits of freedom of speech. Works of art, music, and other forms of cultural production have been celebrated by some and called obscene, degenerate, and violent by others. How are clashes between the law, artists, and everyday citizens transformed into permanent rules, especially as it concerns intersectional inequities? This class prepares students to analyze and contextualize struggles for justice through legal studies and the humanities. Public discourse around politics, government, social activism, art, and education is complex, especially when gender and racial identities are centered. This course examines poetry, song lyrics, visual art, and news media paired with Supreme Court cases to analyze debates about censorship and rights to free speech.

Access Syllabus: You Can’t Say That! Exploring Freedom of Speech in Art and the Law