Why do literary writers consistently push the boundaries of what society deems acceptable?
In short: Free expression faces severe global threats, yet it remains a subject of intense, passionate defense. Rachel Potter, Professor of Modern Literature, explores the evolution of literary censorship, the shifting arguments for free speech, and how modern technology fundamentally alters the landscape of what we are permitted to read and write.
The history of banned literature is not a static record of suppression, but a dynamic field shaped by changing cultural norms and technological shifts. Rachel Potter, an expert in literature and censorship at the University of East Anglia, examines why writers have historically sought to challenge the limits of the acceptable. This tension between creative expression and societal restriction remains a central conflict in modern culture, reflecting broader struggles over the right to free speech.
Potter’s academic background, including her PhD from King's College, Cambridge, and her studies in critical theory at the University of Sussex, informs her analysis of how censorship manifests in the early twentieth century and beyond. Her work investigates the role of writers' organizations and the impact of the digital age on the dissemination of ideas. By tracing these developments, she highlights how the mechanisms of control have evolved alongside the tools used to bypass them.
Recorded on 12th March 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London, this lecture is part of a long tradition of public education. Gresham College, which has provided free lectures for over 400 years, currently hosts a library of more than 2,500 recordings. Potter’s insights serve as a reminder that the defense of free expression is an ongoing project, requiring constant vigilance as both the methods of censorship and the platforms for public discourse continue to transform in the twenty-first century.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Banned Books and Freedom of Expression - Rachel Potter
- Also: Banned Books and Freedom of Expression - Rachel Potter - Gresham College Lectures
- Also: Gresham College — Banned Books and Freedom of Expression - Rachel Potter · YouTube (embedded player only)
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