Consider this: Freedom of expression and Margaret Atwood | The Quad

Consider This

On Nov. 13, Margaret Atwood spoke at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium as part of the Edmonton Public Library's Forward Thinking Speaker Series, with sponsorship from the University of Alberta and EDify. With a background in librarianship, access to information and intellectual freedom, I was tasked with querying Atwood about freedom of expression and her writing exploits, and with moderating audience questions.

Atwood is known for the treatment of dystopia, tyranny and feminism in her work. Books on these topics, such as The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments, are selling fast following Donald Trump winning the 2024 US presidential election. When asked how Trump's political agenda will impact freedom of expression, Atwood responded that it's a tricky situation, given Trump was backed by Elon Musk who supports expressive freedom on his platform, X.

Atwood foresees Trump won't call for banning books; he will appoint judges who support bans. She expects bans will be handled differently across the US, as with women's health issues. Given her view that Trump and Musk no longer need one another, Atwood joked that she is preparing for a power struggle by re-watching I, Claudius.

While discussing the newspaper, The Guardian's decision to stop posting content on X from its official accounts, Atwood indicated she is using it less but not leaving because people pretend to be her on fake accounts. It's a potent concern given pervasive misinformation and disinformation. In the Canadian media, Atwood has expressed concerns about regulating digital platforms and the federal government's Online Harms Bill C-63. She has referred to it as Orwellian and flagged the potential it creates for false accusations and thoughtcrime.

On how to best navigate the persistent tension over contentious ideas and harm, Atwood insisted it's not new for communication technologies like the printing press to be disruptive and that there have always been controversial ideas given human beings have different beliefs, attitudes, personalities, cultures and generations. She prefers airing ideas in the open over driving them underground where they can fuel extreme activities such as cults and violence.

We spoke about censorship and the intensification of politicized editing of history and curricula, noting some of her books like Oryx and Crake and The Handmaid's Tale appear on banned or challenged lists in schools and public libraries. I referenced library leader Tracie D. Hall, who made Time's The Most Influential People of 2023 list with her rallying cry "free people read freely," and who cautions that censorship is a Trojan horse for removal and endangerment of other rights. I asked Atwood what rights she was most concerned about. She said it depends on where you live.

In Alberta, we should internalize Atwood's belief that if kids don't get information through schools and libraries, they'll find it online, which can have appalling effects. Supporting censorship presents the question of who gets to decide what gets censored. For my part, I don't want that to be the government.

The library community faces backlash, harassment and even accusations of pedalling pornography. I asked Atwood what advice she has for librarians (and co-workers) in fulfilling their role to promote access to information and intellectual freedom while under attack. She advised if threats are coming from library boards, then that's a major concern. Atwood did not pull any punches. She referred trustees to the Battle of Waterloo, where those who cut first, lost, and called for them to stand their ground and support their librarians. She referred librarians to self-defence classes (Wen-Do, in particular). That's no joke!

Atwood telling it like it is has recharged my conviction that our university can't advance knowledge without supporting critical inquiry of conventional ideas. And we can't have democratic education without sustained public dialogue about what is legitimate and illegitimate.

About Toni

Toni Samek is a professor for Library and Information Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, and the scholar-in-residence 2024-25 with the Centre for Freedom Expression, Toronto Metropolitan University.