Foundations of Intellectual Freedom. Emily J. M. Knox. Chicago: ALA Neal-Schumann, 2023. 144 p. Paper, $54.99 (978-0-8389-3783-9).

Foundations of Intellectual Freedom is an introduction to the concept of intellectual freedom, encompassing its history and intersections with concepts including freedom of expression, censorship, privacy, and copyright. The book follows the outline of the eight-week course Intellectual Freedom and Censorship, taught by author Emily J. M. Knox at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While this text is an excellent accompaniment to that course, it will also be useful for any information professional wanting to develop a foundational understanding of information freedom and recent conversations in the field. In addition to the discussion within each chapter, each chapter ends with an annotated bibliography of recent or important related works a reader may want to review. The titles in the annotated bibliography come at the discussion from a variety of angles and viewpoints. Each chapter also includes a bibliography of cited references. While Knox notes that the focus of the text is intellectual freedom in the context of the United States, she also includes information about internationally focused organizations. She notes that the conversation about intellectual freedom at the time of publication is influenced by the realities of an ongoing pandemic, the insurrection of January 6, 2021, and an increasing number of book challenges.

Knox begins by defining intellectual freedom, noting that some definitions focus more on access to information, others are more concerned with freedom of expression, and still others are a mixture of the two. She also includes a discussion of the intersection of intellectual freedom and the foundations of intellectual freedom as a human right. This text provides a good theoretical grounding that includes library focused definitions and theories as well as those from fields outside of librarianship. This reviewer especially appreciated the inclusion of recent discussions about the intersections of intellectual freedom and social justice. Regarding the interplay of intellectual freedom and social justice, Knox notes that many of the recent critiques of intellectual freedom take place in the discourse of critical librarianship. Knox, however, argues in the book’s opening chapter that social justice is not possible without intellectual freedom, maintaining that “it is only through the free circulation of ideas that citizens can understand what the terms ‘white supremacist,’ ‘colonialist,’ ‘heteronormative,’ ‘ableist,’ and ‘classist’ even mean” (12). While this reviewer appreciates and commends Knox’s discussion of the variety of current viewpoints about social justice in libraries, a firmer definition of social justice might have aided the discussion later in the text about access to information and future directions in the field. There are few easy answers to questions raised by these intersections. By engaging with the text and Knox’s suggested related texts, readers are given tools to begin thinking through the topic for themselves. Given the recent increase in the number of book challenges, the discussion of intellectual freedom as not just a legal but a social construct was particularly helpful. This is especially true as it hints at ways of moving forward in the fight against book challenges.

Each of the chapters constitutes a good capsule conversation on its own, and chapters can be read out of sequence according to the interests of the reader. Where necessary, Knox reintroduces vocabulary or concepts that will be helpful in each chapter. In much of the book, the connection to a particular element of intellectual freedom–for example, access to information or freedom of expression–and the topic of the chapter is clearer. In the case of the chapter on copyright and intellectual freedom, this reviewer had more trouble seeing that connection. The discussion of copyright seemed to focus more on freedom of use rather than intellectual freedom per se.

The text does an admirable job of outlining the recent conversation around intellectual freedom and neutrality. Knox includes a discussion of the concept of the “marketplace of ideas” and its critiques. There is also a discussion of the ways neutrality can be perceived as a “shield for prejudice.” A related discussion revolves around hate speech, laws against hate speech, and the challenges of implementing such restrictions. Knox argues that these laws may not actually be used to protect marginalized groups. Acknowledging the argument some make that unrestricted intellectual freedom causes harm, Knox leans instead toward the broadest possible interpretation of intellectual freedom. She discusses the relationship between restrictions on intellectual freedom and who has power in the community. While limiting certain forms of expression like hate speech can be appealing, Knox reminds the reader that those who have power decide whose speech is restricted. She also articulates a concern that such restrictions might further consolidate power in the hands of a few. Particularly given recent anti-immigrant rhetoric as well as opposition to diversity and inclusion efforts in library collections and programming, some readers may not be persuaded by Knox’s argument. However, it is well articulated and supported, and includes a firm understanding of its critiques. The text and the references give readers a strong grounding in theories of intellectual freedom to make decisions for themselves. This text will be a valuable foundation resource for information professionals in libraries of all types. — Qiana Johnson, Dartmouth College