Exploring the Relationship Between Book Banning and State-Level Punitive Domains: A Replication and Expansion

• In Event: Media and Narratives on Punitiveness and Marginalization

Abstract

In recent years, the rate of book banning and literary restriction has increased dramatically with more than 1,800 unique books banned in 2021, 2,500 restricted in 2022, and 4,200 in 2023 (PEN America, 2024). Previous work by Wadsworth and Barnes-Ceeney (2025) provided a preliminary exploration of the relationship between book banning and state punitiveness. However, their previous analysis was greatly limited due to their limited number of punitive indicators and two years of book-banning data. The current study improves upon their previous analysis by providing a more faithful replication of Kutatuladze’s (2011) multidimensional punitive scale, including 35 punitive indicators measuring five punitive domains including political punitiveness, incarceration punitiveness, and juvenile punitiveness. Additionally, the current analysis includes an additional year of book-banning data. Based on Wadsworth and Barnes-Ceeney’s (2025) findings, we hypothesize that overall state punitiveness will be associated with book banning and, more specifically, heightened juvenile punitiveness will be associated with greater rates of literary restriction. Ongoing data limitations with current book-banning tracking efforts will also discussed, as will implications for current and future research.

Author

• Gregory A. Wadsworth, University of New Haven