Adam Tomkins
@proftomkins.bsky.social
Professor of Law, University of Glasgow. Latest book: On The Law of Speaking Freely (Hart, 2025). Now writing about Enlightenment, democracy, and decline.
Pinned
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Really looking forward to presenting to wonderful colleagues at Glasgow tomorrow on some recent work about Irish parliamentary culture and practice.
Looking forward to tomorrow afternoon's @uofglaw.bsky.social Public Law Research Cluster seminar, when David Kenny (@dkennytcd.bsky.social) of @tcddublin.bsky.social will present his paper 'Ireland, Westminster, and Political Constitutionalism'.
November 18, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Really looking forward to presenting to wonderful colleagues at Glasgow tomorrow on some recent work about Irish parliamentary culture and practice.
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Looking forward to tomorrow afternoon's @uofglaw.bsky.social Public Law Research Cluster seminar, when David Kenny (@dkennytcd.bsky.social) of @tcddublin.bsky.social will present his paper 'Ireland, Westminster, and Political Constitutionalism'.
November 18, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Looking forward to tomorrow afternoon's @uofglaw.bsky.social Public Law Research Cluster seminar, when David Kenny (@dkennytcd.bsky.social) of @tcddublin.bsky.social will present his paper 'Ireland, Westminster, and Political Constitutionalism'.
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
The audiobook of ‘On the Law of Speaking Freely’ by @proftomkins.bsky.social is available now!
Chosen by Lord Sumption as one of The Spectator’s Books of the Year: “Much more than a law book … It deserves a much wider readership than just lawyers.”
🎧 Listen here: https://adbl.co/44zOMbP
Chosen by Lord Sumption as one of The Spectator’s Books of the Year: “Much more than a law book … It deserves a much wider readership than just lawyers.”
🎧 Listen here: https://adbl.co/44zOMbP
November 12, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The audiobook of ‘On the Law of Speaking Freely’ by @proftomkins.bsky.social is available now!
Chosen by Lord Sumption as one of The Spectator’s Books of the Year: “Much more than a law book … It deserves a much wider readership than just lawyers.”
🎧 Listen here: https://adbl.co/44zOMbP
Chosen by Lord Sumption as one of The Spectator’s Books of the Year: “Much more than a law book … It deserves a much wider readership than just lawyers.”
🎧 Listen here: https://adbl.co/44zOMbP
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
🙌 A big thank you to @proftomkins.bsky.social who joined us and a room full of students and academics last week to discuss his new book: "On the Law of Speaking Freely"!
📰 Read Centre Director @eddiebarnes.bsky.social's takeaways from the event on our blog: www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/we-simp...
📰 Read Centre Director @eddiebarnes.bsky.social's takeaways from the event on our blog: www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/we-simp...
November 4, 2025 at 12:09 PM
🙌 A big thank you to @proftomkins.bsky.social who joined us and a room full of students and academics last week to discuss his new book: "On the Law of Speaking Freely"!
📰 Read Centre Director @eddiebarnes.bsky.social's takeaways from the event on our blog: www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/we-simp...
📰 Read Centre Director @eddiebarnes.bsky.social's takeaways from the event on our blog: www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/we-simp...
In this week’s Spectator:
October 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
In this week’s Spectator:
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
🎤 “We can’t grow unless we hear from others whom we disagree with or who are telling us things we do not already know.”
@proftomkins.bsky.social speaks about free speech and why it’s important for public debate and individuals.
@uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofglaw.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social
@proftomkins.bsky.social speaks about free speech and why it’s important for public debate and individuals.
@uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofglaw.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 6:28 PM
🎤 “We can’t grow unless we hear from others whom we disagree with or who are telling us things we do not already know.”
@proftomkins.bsky.social speaks about free speech and why it’s important for public debate and individuals.
@uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofglaw.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social
@proftomkins.bsky.social speaks about free speech and why it’s important for public debate and individuals.
@uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofglaw.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...
October 23, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...
Quite a day. Not only did I give my new work, on Swift and the Enlightenment Constitution, its first public outing, but Helen Dale’s deeply thoughtful review of my last project, On the Law of Speaking Freely, has been published here: lawliberty.org/book-review/...
From Heresy to Hate Speech – Helen Dale
Adam Tomkins’s book shows the knotty history and evolution of free speech debates.
lawliberty.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Quite a day. Not only did I give my new work, on Swift and the Enlightenment Constitution, its first public outing, but Helen Dale’s deeply thoughtful review of my last project, On the Law of Speaking Freely, has been published here: lawliberty.org/book-review/...
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
⌛️ There's still time to get your free tickets to 'SHUT UP! Should offensive speech be free?', a John Smith Centre event with @proftomkins.bsky.social.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🤝 Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students & staff
🎟️ 👇
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🤝 Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students & staff
🎟️ 👇
SHUT UP! Should offensive speech be free?
Join Professor Adam Tomkins and the John Smith Centre to examine how to navigate free speech.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
⌛️ There's still time to get your free tickets to 'SHUT UP! Should offensive speech be free?', a John Smith Centre event with @proftomkins.bsky.social.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🤝 Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students & staff
🎟️ 👇
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🤝 Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students & staff
🎟️ 👇
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT TALKING 🗣️
In our latest blog, @eddiebarnes.bsky.social writes on the importance of open debate and discussion ahead of our event at the University of Glasgow with @proftomkins.bsky.social later this month.
Read it here 👇
In our latest blog, @eddiebarnes.bsky.social writes on the importance of open debate and discussion ahead of our event at the University of Glasgow with @proftomkins.bsky.social later this month.
Read it here 👇
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT TALKING - John Smith Centre
The University of Glasgow has a longstanding reputation as a place for open political debate and discussion. John Smith – after whom our centre is named – cut his political teeth as a keen Labour…
www.johnsmithcentre.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:30 AM
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT TALKING 🗣️
In our latest blog, @eddiebarnes.bsky.social writes on the importance of open debate and discussion ahead of our event at the University of Glasgow with @proftomkins.bsky.social later this month.
Read it here 👇
In our latest blog, @eddiebarnes.bsky.social writes on the importance of open debate and discussion ahead of our event at the University of Glasgow with @proftomkins.bsky.social later this month.
Read it here 👇
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
📢 EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
Join us and @proftomkins.bsky.social to discuss the law and history around free speech. Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students and staff.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1818334941...
Join us and @proftomkins.bsky.social to discuss the law and history around free speech. Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students and staff.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1818334941...
October 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
📢 EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
Join us and @proftomkins.bsky.social to discuss the law and history around free speech. Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students and staff.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1818334941...
Join us and @proftomkins.bsky.social to discuss the law and history around free speech. Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students and staff.
📅 28 Oct 2025
📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building
🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1818334941...
Toadstools running wild
October 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Toadstools running wild
Published today: on how to fix free speech in Britain (for those who think it may be broken) lawliberty.org/the-uks-spee...
The UK’s Speech Problem – Adam Tomkins
If free speech is broken in Britain, here’s how to fix it.
lawliberty.org
October 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Published today: on how to fix free speech in Britain (for those who think it may be broken) lawliberty.org/the-uks-spee...
A new review essay by me on free speech and true speech, published today: lawliberty.org/book-review/...
In Pursuit of True Speech – Adam Tomkins
A new history tries to highlight a middle path between free speech absolutism and pure censorship. It does not quite succeed.
lawliberty.org
August 5, 2025 at 4:35 PM
A new review essay by me on free speech and true speech, published today: lawliberty.org/book-review/...
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Another opportunity to join Durham Law School as a three-year career development fellow in public law. A great Law School and a vibrant public law community with opportunities to teach in both core and optional modules, and excellent support for research. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNX378/c...
Career Development Fellow in Public Law at Durham University
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Career Development Fellow in Public Law opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
www.jobs.ac.uk
July 15, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Another opportunity to join Durham Law School as a three-year career development fellow in public law. A great Law School and a vibrant public law community with opportunities to teach in both core and optional modules, and excellent support for research. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNX378/c...
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is out now!
The book tackles the problems of contemporary free speech law by applying the lessons of the past to address the challenges of the present.
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/V00s6Fk
The book tackles the problems of contemporary free speech law by applying the lessons of the past to address the challenges of the present.
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/V00s6Fk
July 10, 2025 at 5:21 PM
The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is out now!
The book tackles the problems of contemporary free speech law by applying the lessons of the past to address the challenges of the present.
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/V00s6Fk
The book tackles the problems of contemporary free speech law by applying the lessons of the past to address the challenges of the present.
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/V00s6Fk
For this week only, Hart are selling my book at a 30% discount, for £17.49. It’s a steal! Head over to Hart’s website to order it.
July 7, 2025 at 10:08 AM
For this week only, Hart are selling my book at a 30% discount, for £17.49. It’s a steal! Head over to Hart’s website to order it.
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is now available to pre-order!
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/CfWyv86
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/CfWyv86
July 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is now available to pre-order!
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/CfWyv86
🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/CfWyv86
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
BOOK: Adam TOMKINS, On the Law of Speaking Freely (London: Bloomsbury/Hart, 2025), 280 p. ISBN 9781509972104, 22,49 GB
esclh.blogspot.com/2025/07/book...
esclh.blogspot.com/2025/07/book...
BOOK: Adam TOMKINS, On the Law of Speaking Freely (London: Bloomsbury/Hart, 2025), 280 p. ISBN 9781509972104, 22,49 GBP
(image source: Bloomsbury/Hart ) Abstract: This book tackles the most pressing problems of contemporary free speech law by examining where...
esclh.blogspot.com
July 1, 2025 at 8:44 AM
BOOK: Adam TOMKINS, On the Law of Speaking Freely (London: Bloomsbury/Hart, 2025), 280 p. ISBN 9781509972104, 22,49 GB
esclh.blogspot.com/2025/07/book...
esclh.blogspot.com/2025/07/book...
Many congrats on this, Paul. The PL team at Glasgow will support this in any way we can. Great stuff 👌
Pleased to have been awarded some money by the Society of Legal Scholars to do an event on 'Economic Aspects of the Constitution' later in the year. Call for papers to follow.
June 11, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Many congrats on this, Paul. The PL team at Glasgow will support this in any way we can. Great stuff 👌
The audiobook of On the Law of Speaking Freely will be published on 10 July (the paperback and E-book editions are out now). In advance of the audiobook being released, here’s a clip:—
m.soundcloud.com/bloomsburypu...
m.soundcloud.com/bloomsburypu...
On the Law of Speaking Freely written and read by Adam Tomkins
Play On the Law of Speaking Freely written and read by Adam Tomkins from Bloomsbury Publishing. Play audiobooks and excerpts on SoundCloud desktop and mobile.
m.soundcloud.com
June 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM
The audiobook of On the Law of Speaking Freely will be published on 10 July (the paperback and E-book editions are out now). In advance of the audiobook being released, here’s a clip:—
m.soundcloud.com/bloomsburypu...
m.soundcloud.com/bloomsburypu...
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Likely not wholly coincidental, but I see Hart have published not one but two books on free speech today (one by my colleague @proftomkins.bsky.social): likely a nice review essay opportunity for someone. (Here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/on-the-la... and here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/free-spee...)
May 29, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Likely not wholly coincidental, but I see Hart have published not one but two books on free speech today (one by my colleague @proftomkins.bsky.social): likely a nice review essay opportunity for someone. (Here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/on-the-la... and here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/free-spee...)
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
Looking forward to this
Adam always sparks a debate and I dare say revels in them
Adam always sparks a debate and I dare say revels in them
May 21, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Looking forward to this
Adam always sparks a debate and I dare say revels in them
Adam always sparks a debate and I dare say revels in them
This is now out in the world:
May 18, 2025 at 10:40 AM
This is now out in the world:
Reposted by Adam Tomkins
A lot of fun being back at the House of Lords Constitution Committee this morning giving evidence (aka my spring statement) about the rule of law.
March 26, 2025 at 12:13 PM
A lot of fun being back at the House of Lords Constitution Committee this morning giving evidence (aka my spring statement) about the rule of law.