Freedom of Speech in the Press in Times of Conflict: Historical Perspectives from Ireland and Europe

In times of conflict, especially times of war, pressures on freedom of the press, even in societies that value a free press, inevitably increase – and often involve formal government censorship. Support of one’s country or, in the case of internal conflicts, of one side or another – usually, indeed, of the authorities – can be regarded as a duty. Dissent, even criticism, in the press is less tolerated – if tolerated at all. Journalists may become propagandists or mythmakers. The twelve essays in this volume explore issues of press freedom – encompassing reportage, commentary, satire and transnational journalism – in relation to a range of conflicts in Ireland and continental Europe over the past 150 years. The press in Ireland is the central focus of the volume, but the European dimension in many of the essays provides a wider perspective than would be possible in a volume limited to the Irish experience.