Books have been banned, burned, and blacklisted since humans created them. As receptacles for knowledge and ideas, books represent not only tools for enlightenment but also, for some, pose a serious threat to social order. Examining this worrisome practice both historically and in the present helps us understand our common future.

Join New York Times journalist and author Nina Siegal as she delves into the issue of banned books in the United States in a six-part lecture and discussion series. Banning books as a form of censure and control is once again on the rise, not only in the US, but across the world. But why is this a cause for concern? Because banning books is also often a harbinger for other forms of cultural violence.

Join the Banned Books Course at the John Adams Institute, on Tuesdays from 10 January until 14 February 2023.