CSUN’s Journalism Department Launches Its 9th Annual Banned Books Event

 

Does censorship divide us, or unite us? That is the question commonly asked at this time of the year, as the Ninth Annual Banned Books Readout approaches. On Monday, Sept. 27, CSUN Journalism Professor Elizabeth Blakey, J.D., Ph.D., launches the 9^th Annual Banned Books Readout. The event will be held virtually via Zoom from 4 - 5:15 p.m.

The event, co-sponsored with the University Library, will examine and explain the importance of reading controversial books and debate if they should be permanently shelved or not. Keynote speaker is PEN America’s James Tager.

Tager will discuss book banning in public spaces that are run by the government, such as America’s schools, libraries and prisons.

Banned Books Week is a weeklong event celebrating the freedom to choose what we read and highlighting the dangers of censorship, launching a debate focused on book banning in American schools, libraries and prisons.

CSUN students from Blakey's Journalism 400 Media Law and Ethics class will read aloud from censored books.

“I think it is important to read out loud from books that are offensive. For people to say ‘no’ to reading them, that’s censorship,” said Blakey.

Blakey had emphasized that the reading of controversial books is key for creating an area of discussion. She equated censoring historical books to censoring important debates.

Blakey, and Coleen Martin, outreach librarian for the CSUN University Library, are co-hosting the event. Tager is director of research at PEN America, a New York-based non-profit organization that advocates for free expression worldwide.

Blakey and Martin urge attendees to join in on the discussion and listen to students read aloud from censored books, discuss the First Amendment and much more!

To register for the event, visit the Banned Books Registration Page.

--contributed by Karoo Meyer