In the organizer's words:

Democracy and freedom of opinion

Lukas Bärfuss in conversation with Ronen Steinke

There is no democracy without free speech. But it leads to a dilemma. Enemies of freedom abuse it as a means of destroying this very democracy. The rule of law must limit it. But how?

Who decides on the limits of what can be said? Should laws and courts regulate what the truth is? But language belongs to all of us. The meaning of words cannot be prescribed. It results from their use in everyday life, in schools, editorial offices, social media and in parliaments. And this is where the sensitivities and fears of a society become apparent. It seems neither able nor willing to negotiate opposing opinions. People prefer to abide by bans and ban unpopular books from libraries, outlawing words that do not fit in with their own world view. And thus destroy the basis of free speech.

In his new book "Freedom of Expression", lawyer and journalist Ronen Steinke describes how the judiciary, police and secret services operate language policy in this field of tension. Arbitrariness suddenly determines the limits of what can be said. Legitimate protection against hate speech turns into a system of political exclusion.

Freedom is always the freedom of those who think differently. And the old question remains unanswered: What is the truth? And who has the right to speak it?

Further information: Future of Democracy #10 | Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg