Banned Books: Censorship and Its Impact on Science

Discussion

Location: DAZ Bibliothek, ifa Bibliothek, Charlottenplatz 17, 70173 Stuttgart
Language: English
Admission: Please register at anmeldung@daz.org

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Since 2021, book bans in the U.S. have increased significantly. So-called book bans, implemented under the guise of protecting minors, have primarily affected public and school libraries. However, academic institutions are not safe from them either. Even in Germany there have been isolated attempts to gain control over library collections.

This event will consider the topic from a transnational perspective. After a presentation on book bans in the US, we will delve deeper into the discussion along with experts, some of whom will remotely participate from the US. What is the current situation regarding book banning and censorship in the US and Germany? How do book bans manifest and what do they mean for the library business? What are the consequences of intervening in library collections for academia and democracy?

The event will be held in English. Afterwards, there will be the opportunity for further exchange over drinks.

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With: Dr. Jennifer Gouck, Woman in Research Fellow at the University of Münster; Kai Schnier, Journalist
Moderation: Katharina Buchter, DAZ 
In cooperation with: ifa Bibliothek

Dr. Jennifer Gouck 

is a Women in Research (WiRe) Fellow. Her research focuses on representations of girlhood in contemporary American Young Adult literature, media, and culture, and she is also interested in censorship and the rise of book banning in the United States. Her project, “Exploring The ‘Abortion Road Trip’ in American Young Adult Fiction” investigates literary and cultural representations of teen pregnancy and abortion in contemporary American Young Adult (YA) texts, situating these representations within the rapidly changing, unstable, and increasingly conservative sociopolitical environment in America.

Foto: Jennifer Gouck

Kai Schnier 

works as a freelance editor for the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. Previously, he worked for „Was Jetzt?“, the news podcast of ZEIT ONLINE, the Insitut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Reporters Without Borders, and ZDF. Since 2025, he has hosted the podcast „Un-American.“

Foto: Privat