What is Censorship?
Reprinted from 

1.	 		What is censorship?  Explain by defining the term, and by clarifying in your own words.

2.	 		Why do groups, people, and organizations choose to censor various media and 	information?  For what reasons could you imagine you might censor something?  Provide examples.

3.	 	What kinds of rights are at issue with censorship?  In what way(s)?
					
 4.	
	Provide 1-2 examples for each of the following kinds of censorship:
a)	 
	historical censorship
b)	 	government censorship
c)	 	religious censorship
d)	 	ideological censorship
e)	 	economic censorship
f)	 	obscene materials	

5.	What steps could be taken to decide if censorship should be used?  How can we determine when censorship is appropriate?

6.	“...freedom from censorship is the exception in the world.”  (p. 3) We’ve examined many freedoms and rights this year in the works we’ve studied.  Would freedom from censorship be a right that you feel is important? Why or why not?

7.	What risks / dangers are there in NOT having forms of censorship?  What possible outcomes could you imagine?		

	

...continued
8.	Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World has been censored and even banned in the past.  In 	the table below, create a list of elements from the novel that you could see being censored.  In the second column, indicate why you feel it important to deal with such issues, rather than ignore them.  An example has been provided.

Issue needing to be censored	Reasons not to censor it	
Ex. Sexuality	* Students in high school are considering sexual relations, and should be aware of some of the possible repercussions / consequences, both good and bad, of such contacts.
* Sexuality is a regular part of life, and students should not be presented with the idea that it does not exist.  By the time they are in senior high school, they should be able to deal with this issue.	

		

		

		

		

		
D. Rautiainen 2012