Episode 10: The great disruption - Part I, the printing press and the viral Reformation

The disruptive effects of the internet and social media on the spread of information are unprecedented. Or are they?   In episode 10 of Clear and Present Danger, we cover the invention, spread, and effects of the Gutenberg printing press: What significance did this new technology have for the dissemination of knowledge and ideas? Why was the printing press instrumental in helping a German monk and scholar break the religious unity of Europe? What happened when new religious ideas raged through Europe like wildfire? And did Martin Luther’s Reformation lead to religious tolerance and freedom, or persecution and censorship? You can subscribe and listen to Clear and Present Danger on iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, TuneIn and Stitcher, or download episodes directly from SoundCloud. Stay up to date with Clear and Present Danger on the show’s Facebook and Twitter pages, or visit the podcast’s website at freespeechhistory.com. Email us feedback at freespeechhistory@gmail.com.

Om Podcasten

This Week in Free Speech is your weekly deep dive into the most cutting-edge global developments affecting the most important of human rights: freedom of expression. Each week your host Jacob Mchangama invites a guest with particular relevance or expertise to discuss a hot topic with global relevance for free speech, whether online or offline. Jacob Mchangama is the executive director of the Future of Free Speech Project, research professor at Vanderbilt University author of the critically acclaimed book “FREE SPEECH: A History from Socrates to Social Media” and the writer and narrator of the podcast “Clear and Present Danger: A History of Free Speech”.