Download - The Geography of Censorship
THE GEOGRAPHY OF CENSORSHIPCommunities, Challengers, and Harry Potter
Emily J. M. [email protected]
What is a challenge?
1. Book identified2. Request for Reconsideration
3. Meeting with library/school staff4. If not resolved, sent to governing board5. Sometimes a hearing
Harry Potter ChallengesReasons• Death killing, drinking
animal blood, witchcraft• Intense story line,
violence, wizardry, sucking of animal blood
• Magic, bad experiences• Occult, witchcraft• Satanic deception
Geography of HP Challenges
Communities• Christian Adherents
• No defining characteristic• Decrease in population also had decrease in adherents
• Education• Without exception, all communities experienced a growth in the
percentage of individuals with bachelor’s degrees• Population
• Changes in racial makeup in all communities• All saw decrease in percentage of white individuals
• Some communities saw large population increases
Mapping Information Access• www.mappinginfoaccess
.org
• FOIA requests sent to stratified sample of public libraries and school districts (PLSD)• Will eventually send
requests to all 27,000 PLSD
• Requesting:• Challenges• Curriculum or collection
development policies• Internet filtering policies• Acceptable use policies• Internet filtering contracts,
blacklists, configurations
• Team Members:• Emily Knox, Illinois• Shawn Musgrave, MuckRock• Shannon Oltmann, Kentucky• Chris Peterson, MIT