June 1, 2026 | “Islamophobia and Free Speech” with Stephen Greer
Islamophobia and Free Speech
The growing use of accusations of “Islamophobia” and “Islamophobic expression” across Western societies, and the significant personal and professional consequences often faced by those accused make it urgently necessary to clarify an important distinction -between unlawful incitement against Muslims and the legitimate criticism of religious beliefs, practices, and conduct.
This vital distinction is increasingly blurred by institutions reluctant to defend free expression. A climate of self-censorship has emerged. Criticism and examination of Islam, like criticism of all faiths and ideologies, must remain subject to the same principles of open debate and scrutiny fundamental to liberal democracies.
Stephen Greer BA (Oxon) MSc PhD FAcSS FRSA is Emeritus Professor at the University of Bristol Law School and Research Director at the Oxford Institute for British Islam. In a career spanning nearly 40 years he has taught and delivered numerous papers in the UK and abroad, including in China and at Harvard Law School. Greer has published widely, particularly in the fields of criminal justice, human rights, and law and terrorism. He has also acted as consultant/advisor to various organizations, written for national and regional newspapers in the UK and Ireland, and appeared on numerous radio and TV programs in Britain and abroad. Greer studied Law at the University of Oxford, Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and has a PhD in Law from the Queen’s University of Belfast.
