Censorship & Banned Books

Watch

• Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451”? - Iseult Gillespie ↗TED-Ed
• The Terrifying Ideology of 1984 ↗Unsolicited advice
• The fight against books bans by public school librarians shown in new documentary ↗PBS NewsHour
• How Book Bans Happen Under the Radar ↗The New York Times

Read

• Areopagitica ↗This impassioned 17th-century polemic remains a foundational defence of free expression and the 'marketplace of ideas,' arguing against pre-publication censorship with enduring vigour.John Milton
• On Liberty ↗Mill's seminal work articulates the harm principle and offers a powerful, enduring philosophical case for the liberty of thought and discussion, directly challenging the suppression of unpopular opinions.John Stuart Mill
• Nineteen Eighty-Four ↗This enduring dystopian novel explores the ultimate consequences of totalitarian control over truth, history, and language, illustrating how censorship underpins a regime of perpetual surveillance and thought suppression.George Orwell
• Fahrenheit 451 ↗A chilling dystopian classic that vividly portrays a future where books are outlawed and firemen burn them, serving as a stark warning against intellectual conformity and state-sanctioned ignorance.Ray Bradbury
• The Freedom to Read StatementThis foundational document outlines the principles of intellectual freedom and the responsibilities of libraries in resisting censorship, serving as a vital guide for safeguarding access to diverse ideas.American Library Association and Association of American Publishers

Voices to follow

• Margaret Atwood ↗Her works, particularly dystopian narratives like 'The Handmaid's Tale', serve as prescient warnings against authoritarian control and the erosion of intellectual freedom.Novelist, poet, and literary critic
• Judy Blume ↗A perennial target of book banners, her decades-long experience provides a poignant perspective on the enduring battle for literary access for young readers.Author of children's and young adult fiction
• Suzanne Nossel ↗As the head of a leading literary and human rights organisation, she offers incisive analysis on the legal and cultural battlegrounds of free expression.CEO of PEN America
• Neil Gaiman ↗His imaginative narratives often explore themes of knowledge and power, and he frequently lends his considerable platform to advocate against restrictions on literature.Author of fantasy novels, short stories, comics, and graphic novels

Glossary

• Banned BookA book that has been officially removed from libraries, schools, or stores, making it unavailable to the public. This usually happens because of censorship. For example, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been a banned book in some places due to its language and themes.
• CensorshipWhen someone in authority (like a government or school) stops certain information, ideas, or books from being shared or seen by others. They do this because they think the content is harmful, offensive, or inappropriate. For example, if a school principal removes a book from the library because some parents complained about its themes, that's censorship.
• Challenged BookA book that someone (like a parent or community member) has formally complained about, asking for it to be removed or restricted from a library or school. A challenge is the first step that can lead to a book being banned. For example, if a parent fills out a form asking the school library to take a specific book off the shelves because they disagree with its message, that book is being challenged.
• Controversial BookA book that causes strong disagreement or debate because its content, themes, or ideas are sensitive, provoke strong opinions, or challenge common beliefs. These books are often the target of challenges and censorship. For example, a book that discusses a very sensitive historical event from a new perspective might become controversial, leading to debates about whether it should be in school libraries.
• CurriculumThe official plan of subjects, topics, and learning activities that are taught in a school or specific course. Books chosen for the curriculum are often reviewed carefully and can be targets for challenges. For example, the English curriculum for grade 10 might include specific novels, poems, and plays that all students are expected to read and study.
• FilteringUsing technology to block or restrict access to certain websites, apps, or online content. In schools, filters are often used to prevent students from seeing inappropriate material, but they can sometimes block useful or educational resources too. For example, a school's internet system might use a filter to block social media sites or websites with violent content, but it might accidentally block a legitimate research site as well.
• Freedom of SpeechThe right for people to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions without fear of being stopped or punished by the government or other powerful groups. This includes what they say, write, or create. For example, being able to write an article for the school newspaper sharing your opinion on a new school policy, even if it's critical, is an exercise of freedom of speech.
• Intellectual FreedomThe right for everyone to seek, receive, and share information and ideas from all points of view without limits. It means having access to a wide range of books and materials, even if some people find them unpopular or offensive. For example, a library upholding intellectual freedom means it offers books on many different topics and viewpoints, allowing students to explore and learn freely.
• ObscenityContent (like words or images) that is considered extremely offensive, indecent, or morally disgusting, especially in a sexual way, and is not protected by freedom of speech laws. What counts as "obscene" can differ greatly depending on the community. For example, a book might be challenged for obscenity if it contains graphic descriptions or images that a community deems highly inappropriate and without any serious artistic or literary value.
• Self-CensorshipWhen a person or group chooses to limit what they say, write, or create because they fear negative reactions, punishment, or disapproval from others. They censor themselves, even if no one else has told them to. For example, if a student decides not to write about a certain topic for a class assignment because they worry their teacher or classmates might judge them, that's self-censorship.

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.