Tag Archives: censorship

Saying that students embrace censorship on college campuses is incorrect – here’s how to discuss the issue more constructively

Saying that students embrace censorship on college campuses is incorrect – here’s how to discuss the issue more constructively

The claim that college students censor viewpoints with which they disagree is now common. Versions of this claim include the falsehoods that students “shut down” most invited speakers to campuses, reject challenging ideas and oppose conservative views. Such cynical distortions dominate discussions of higher education today, misinform the public and threaten both democracy and higher education. Indeed, politicians in states such […] … learn more→

Politicians seek to control classroom discussions about slavery in the US

Politicians seek to control classroom discussions about slavery in the US

Of all the subjects taught in the nation’s public schools, few have generated as much controversy of late as the subjects of racism and slavery in the United States. The attention has come largely through a flood of legislative bills put forth primarily by Republicans over the past year and a half. Commonly referred to as anti-critical race theory […] … learn more→

Journals censorship is not bowdlerisation

Journals censorship is not bowdlerisation

The statement on censorship recently published by the Association of University Presses deserves wide support. It affirms opposition to “all restrictions imposed on the dissemination of [scholarly] work” and raises important questions about censorship in China and the changing nature of researching and publishing. But we must get our facts straight on both of those. […] … learn more→

How can scholars tackle the rise of Chinese censorship in the West?

How can scholars tackle the rise of Chinese censorship in the West?

The extraordinary rise of Xi Jinping was, understandably, the main talking point of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October. Thanks to the president’s relentless consolidation of his personal power base within the party and the official encouragement of something approaching a cult of personality, comparisons with Mao were […] … learn more→

The deplatforming epidemic

The deplatforming epidemic

It used to be controversial speakers were controversial, and that was it. Now controversial has been defined down to the most meager of offenses. As faculty, even to say something as “controversial” as “Trump doesn’t get a fair shake in the media” is enough to get you fired. Heck, even in chatting in forums, I […] … learn more→

Censorship at the Evanston Public Library

Censorship at the Evanston Public Library

On Friday June 2, the Evanston Public Library held a hearing that may lead to the firing of librarian Lesley Williams this week. Her alleged crime? Posting a message on her personal Facebook page criticizing the library’s efforts at racial equity. This makes it an important case in the wake of Garcetti v. Ceballos, about […] … learn more→

Banned Books Awareness: “The Martian Chronicles”

Banned Books Awareness: “The Martian Chronicles”

This is a republish of this article The world of literature lost a legend when Ray Bradbury passed away. His visions of futuristic worlds set to a backdrop of present-day social commentary has inspired and enthralled readers for decades in classics such as The Illustrated Man, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Fahrenheit 451. But […] … learn more→

Western Illinois University suspends the student editor-in-chief

Nicholas Stewart, a student at Western Illinois University, and editor-in-chief of its student newspaper, the Western Courier, was suspended from his position last week by the administration, and is being brought up on charges of violating the Code of Student Conduct because he recorded video of a riot on campus, and sold that video to […] … learn more→