Never Enough Books

Now that the doors on our Advent calendars are being opened with alarming rapidity, we take the opportunity to discuss two seasonally related topics: books for Christmas and the cultural importance of our calendar. 2023 has served up a cornucopia of thoughtful free speech related volumes, tackling issues ranging from misinformation and AI, through to comedy, sport, and religion. In that vein, we would love to hear from listeners with any other recommendations as there is yet time for people to buy these stocking fillers (in addition, of course, to FSU gift membership!). Our conversation on the calendar is motivated by a recent report from the Canadian human rights commission in which it is suggested that statutory holidays in Canada are an example of ‘present day systemic religious discrimination’. In the UK, meanwhile, our own human rights commission is under investigation for suggesting to the British government that the definition of sex in the 2010 Equality Act should be clarified. Apparently, tightening the wording to ‘biological sex’ would amount to ‘actively harming trans people’. In these strange times, FSU events and resources remain an important oasis of sanity and we end the episode with a mention of our new legal FAQ on the parameters of free speech and a run down on some of the exciting events planned for early 2024.

"That's Debatable!" is edited by Jason Clift.