Transcript Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Propaganda

Intellectual Freedom,
Censorship and Propaganda
LIBR 150
Spring 2003
Week 7
Supplement
Intellectual Freedom
What is it?
“Intellectual freedom is the right of every
individual to both seek and receive information
from all points of view without restriction. It
provides for free access to all expressions of
ideas through which any and all sides of a
question, cause or movement may be
explored.” - American Library Association
Guaranteed by the First Amendment

One of the fundamental civil liberties in the Bill of
Rights
Intellectual Freedom - cont.
Why is it important?

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Fundamental core of democratic society - ability to
share ideas freely
Basis of scholarship and research on a college
campus - freedom to discuss ideas in an educational
setting
Rights guaranteed by a professor’s tenure
Why is it especially an issue today?

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Criticisms of post-9/11 legislation that many feel are
impinging on citizen’s intellectual freedom, such as
the Patriot Acts (I and II)
Hate speech issues on college campuses
Censorship
What is it?
“Censorship is the suppression of ideas and
information that certain persons—individuals,
groups or government officials—find
objectionable or dangerous....Censors try to
use the power of the state to impose their view
of what is truthful and appropriate, or offensive
and objectionable, on everyone else....The
censor wants to prejudge materials for
everyone.”
- American Library Association
Censorship - cont.
Why is it important?
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Do you want your intellectual choices limited before
you can decide for yourself?
Opportunities for abuse exist when the government
has the ability to limit ideas
Often first step taken by totalitarian governments limiting of government information and the press
Why is it especially an issue today?

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War against terrorism - what is the balance between
fighting terrorist vs. the right for the public to know
Explosion of amount and types of information - who
can get access to what, especially on the Internet?
More Information
American Library Association Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q&A
- http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/
Our_Association/Offices/Intellectual_Freedom3/Basics/
Intellectual_Freedom_and_Censorship_QandA.htm
Propaganda
What is it?
“Persuasive communication by means of any
or all available media, designed to change or
reinforce in predetermined directions opinions
on certain topics held by its audience,
particularly through emotional rather objective
message content” (Roberts & Edwards, 1991,
p. 113).
- Roberts, G., & Edwards A. (1991). A new dictionary of political
analysis. London: Edward Arnold.
Propaganda - cont.
Why is it important?

Need to evaluate governmental information, in the
war against terrorism, in order to make informed
decisions on how the battle is fought
To learn more and evaluate
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Cole, R. (Ed.) (1998). The encyclopedia of
propaganda (Vols. 1-3). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
 call number HM263.E53 1998 (reference collection)
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http://www.propagandacritic.com/
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/powers_
of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_home.html
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/