Written by: Gloria Kosir

University of Iowa College of Law Professor Samantha Barbas, who holds the Aliber Family Chair in Law, published her eighth book, Hate Speech: The Legal and Cultural History of An American Dilemma.

Barbas’ book provides the history of “legal and cultural battles” over hate speech regulation in the United States, including mechanisms beyond the legal framework, like counterspeech and public education. In explaining why the U.S. has no hate speech laws, she argues that, “Though not perfect, our method of addressing hate is less dangerous than government censorship and less likely to be weaponized against the powerless.” 

Barbas has been featured in several news outlets to discuss Hate Speech. She spoke about her book, the history of American hate speech regulations, and the civil rights groups' impacts on the New Books Network and LA NPR’s Air Talk. She was also interviewed for a Q&A by the University of California Press. 

Barbas is a renowned legal historian and author who specializes in legal history, First Amendment, and media law. One of her earlier books, Actual Malice: Civil Rights and Freedom of the Press in New York Times v. Sullivan (California, 2023), was listed as one of the New Yorker’s Best Books of 2023.