Shelf Control: Dissecting Discourses on Book Bans

• In Event: Teaching Under Surveillance: Censorship, Book Bans, and the Struggle for Educational Freedom

Abstract

While the tension between parental rights and the right to free speech has been well documented in historical court decisions, recent book bans have increasingly been backed by local, regional, and national advocacy groups rather than by a few individuals and families. This shift raises questions about how a diverse range of actors frame the discourse around book bans. Therefore, this study explores the dependencies and interrelationships among policy actors engaged in the political discourse surrounding the widespread book bans in Pennsylvania. By focusing on before and after the release of the banned book list, this study examines discourse networks extracted from newspaper articles. This approach offers insight into the dynamic interactions among actors and the networks of policy preferences.

Authors

• Jin Lee, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

• Olivia Peltier, University of Louisiana at Lafayette