Book Ban
Definition
A book ban is when a book is suppressed by some kind of power due to the material within the book being deemed worthy of censorship. The authorities that have engaged in book banning over the years range from concerned parents to national governments. Book bans are a common tactic by authoritarian dictatorships in an attempt to suppress dissent. Countries that have notably engaged in book bans include the People’s Republic of China, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America.[1]
Objectives
Reasons that are often used to censure books include age appropriateness, sexual content, and for religious reasons. For example, the Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie was banned by the Supreme Leader of Iran and the controversy surrounding the book led to many assassination attempts against Rushdie. In several cases, the writers of these books have faced overly extreme prison sentences, exile from their home countries, and even execution.
Current
In the United States specifically, many accusations have been made against the government that they use book banning to target literature with LGBTQ characters, or that feature themes about race, gender, or sexuality. In recent years, local communities of concerned parents have been given support by politically conservative organizations that focus on censoring certain subjects. Legal and legislative routes to book banning have become much more common recently as well, while in the past the banning usually came from debates in local communities. Journalists, librarians, teachers, and writers have come together to challenge these censorships, arguing they infringe on free speech.[2]
- ↑ Pérez, Ashley Hope, et al. Banned Together : Our Fight for Readers’ Rights. First edition., Holiday House, 2025.
- ↑ Coleman, James Joshua, and Petra Lange. “A Two-Year Timeline to Anti-LGBTQ+ Book Bans in America’s Heartland.” English Journal [Urbana], High school edition, vol. 113, no. 6, July 2024, pp. 25–32, https://doi.org/10.58680/ej2024113625.
