Press Freedom as an International Human Right

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvii

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2. Introduction

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 1-16

3. The Case for Press Freedom as a Human Right

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 17-44

4. UNESCO, World Press Freedom Day and Beyond: The Marginal Place of Press Freedom at the UN

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 45-70

5. The Politics of Press Freedom

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 71-99

6. Non-state Actors and the Promotion of Press Freedom

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 101-128

7. Press Freedom in the Internet Age

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 129-145

8. Conclusion

   • Wiebke Lamer

   Pages 147-155

9. Back Matter

   Pages 157-158

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This book examines why press freedom has not become part of the established international human rights debate, despite its centrality to democratic theory. It argues that an unrestricted press is not just an important economic actor, but also an influential power in the political process, a status that interferes with government interests of sustaining their own power and influence. Despite the popularity of ideational explanations in the field of human rights studies, in the case of promoting press freedom, considerations of power and strategic interests rather than ideas dominate state behavior. The author makes the case that the current place of press freedom in the human rights debate needs to be rethought not only in developing countries, but in liberal democracies as well.

• International Human Rights Legislation
• Press Freedom as Human Right
• Freedom of Speech in the 21st Century
• Civil Rights in Modern Democracies
• Journalism under authoritarian regimes
• infringements on freedom of the press
• international promotion and protection of human rights
• United Nations and press freedom
• democracy

“This book makes a clear and strong case for press freedom sitting at the heart of human rights. At a time when we see an increase in autocracy and the jailing of journalists, when democratic rights are in retreat in many countries and the media being politicised as a means of control this is a hugely important and timely book.” (Richard Sambrook, Cardiff University, UK)

• European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC), Venice, Italy

  Wiebke Lamer

Wiebke Lamer is Fellow at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) in Venice, Italy.

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