Book censorship

Timeline

• 213 BCEBook burning is one of the original types of censorship dating back to 213 BCE.
• 1637According to Harvard Library, books have been getting banned since at least 1637, the first time a book was recorded to be banned.
• 1928The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall, was banned in the UK from 1928 to 1949 for the lesbian themes the book presents.
• 1929The 1929 act would not be repealed until 1967.
• 1950The censorship of such writings was legalized under the institution of the 1950 Suppression of Communism Act.

Read

• Banned in the U.S.AHerbert N. Foerstel · 1994Book
• Books Condemned to Be BurntJames Anson Farrer · 2015Book
• Purity in printPaul S. Boyer · 1968Book
• 120 banned booksNicholas J. Karolides · 2005Book

Listen

• For KeepsDavid PeterkofskyPodcast
• Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. CensorshipJennifer Davis and Dan Schulz turn books banned in schools into a comedy book review podcast, reading challenged literature cover-to-cover to find out exactly what got each book banned.Podcast
• CensorshipDaniel SimsPodcast
• Censorship and Banning BooksElla BethPodcast

Debates

• Should books with controversial themes be removed from school libraries?One view: Yes, to protect young readers from potentially harmful or inappropriate material. · Another: No, to ensure access to diverse perspectives and foster critical thinking skills.Open question
• Is book censorship ever justified to protect cultural or religious values?One view: Yes, societies have a right to preserve their cultural norms and traditions. · Another: No, censorship stifles artistic expression and limits intellectual growth within a society.Open question
• Does public pressure via social media to remove books constitute censorship?One view: Yes, organized campaigns, regardless of origin, can lead to de facto censorship by influencing collection decisions. · Another: No, public feedback is a legitimate part of library collection development and review processes, reflecting community values.Open question

Glossary

• CensorshipThe suppression or prohibition of books or other media deemed objectionable.
• BanningThe formal removal of a book from a library, school, or other institution.
• Challenged bookA book that someone attempts to remove or restrict access to, often in a library or school.
• Intellectual freedomThe right of every individual to seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction.
• Freedom of expressionThe right to express one's opinions and ideas without fear of government retaliation or censorship.
• Self-censorshipRestricting one's own expression to avoid potential criticism or repercussions from others.

Careers

Roles this can lead toward

Threads 4

Where this connects to other fields — and why it's worth knowing.

• Biosecurity & Engineered Threats Global Risks

  Usually science says publish everything openly. But some papers are different: print the full genetic recipe to rebuild a deadly virus, and the paper itself becomes a weapon anyone could copy. That forces scientists into a very old, uncomfortable question they thought they'd left behind, when is it right to censor the truth?

• Orthodoxy and Heresy Religion

  When cheap printed Bibles let regular people read scripture themselves, the Church lost its grip on deciding what was true. Its panicked answer was the Inquisition, a giant censorship machine to burn the wrong books and silence the wrong ideas. Fear of losing control of the story is what turns gatekeepers into censors.

• Motivation & Behaviour Change Psychology

  Tell someone they can't read a book and suddenly everyone wants it. Your mind has a rebellious reflex called 'reactance': block an idea and we lunge toward it. So a banned book gets a thrilling, forbidden glow, a free gift of hype that the censor accidentally handed it.

• Cryptography & Digital Security Mathematics

  For centuries, banning a book was a chase between writers and censors. Now that chase is math. Encryption scrambles messages and mesh networks pass them phone-to-phone with no center, so there's simply no single switch a government can flip off. The freedom to write now leans on equations, not just courage.