A Case Study of an Undergraduate Seminar on Banned Books in Texas

• In Event: Curricular Challenges in the Current Political Climate

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a case study of an undergraduate banned books seminar taught in Texas during spring 2023. Using developmentally appropriate curriculum, culturally relevant pedagogy, and critical whiteness theory as analytical frameworks, the paper presents the following findings: first, students in this course have internalized age- and developmentally-appropriate curricular discourses and use these discourses to justify questions about books centering race, gender, sexuality, and history, advancing and holding up curricular whiteness; and, contrastingly, students understand the role of systemic power and advocate for culturally relevant books in schools and society. These findings offer insights into the contemporary book banning moment with implications for pedagogues, scholars, librarians, and policymakers.

Author

• Paul William Eaton, University of Alabama