The arts are an incredibly popular outlet for free expression but too often they are restricted. Index on Censorship have recently published a number of law packs informing artistic organisations of their rights when having their works challenged.
This reading list combines a number of articles from issues of Index on Censorship throughout the years dealing with censorship in the arts. It includes an examination of street art as a symbol of freedom in Egypt and a look by Andrea Webster at the policing of theatre in Indonesia.
Students and academics can browse the Index magazine archive in thousands of university libraries via Sage Journals.
Censorship in the arts articles
Student reading lists |
| • Censorship in the arts • Comedy and censorship • Journalism and censorship • Ken Saro-Wiwa • Minority groups and censorship • Threats to academic freedom • About the student reading lists • Technology and censorship |
Hard times for poetry by Michael Morley
Michael Morley, June 1973; vol. 2, 2: pp. 23-26
Michael Morley discusses the poetry of  German singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann
Image Control by Zoriah Miller
Zoriah Miller, November 2008; vol. 37, 4: pp. 50-68
Photojournalist Zoriah Miller on the US military’s battle to stop him from revealing the true cost of the war in Iraq
Art or Vandalism? By Yasmine El Rashidi
Yasmine El Rashidi, September 2011; vol. 40, 3: pp. 78-88
A look at how street art has become a growing symbol of freedom of expression on the streets of Cairo
Freedom to Publish by Richard Kostelanetz
Richard Kostelanetz, March 1975; vol. 4, 1: pp. 58-60
The American artist, author and critic on the freedom to publish works
Play politics:Â policing theatre in Indonesia by Andrea Webster
Andrea Webster, July 1991; vol. 20, 2: pp. 73-5
How popular theatre in Jakarta, Indonesia is being stifled by the regime of President Suharto
Artful words by Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer, May 1997; vol. 26, 3: pp. 30-33
Nobel Prize-winning Nadine Gordimer on disagreements surrounding the role of literature in society
Censorship? What censorship? By Ursula Owen, Marie Korpe, Ole Reitov
Ursula Owen, Marie Korpe, Ole Reitov, November 1998; vol. 27,  6: pp. 5
Former Index editor Ursula Owen, along with Marie Korpe and Ole Reitov, introduces Index’s special report on music in censorship
Bring Music, Bring Life by Clemency Burton-Hill
Clemency Burton-Hill, September 2010; vol. 39,  3: pp. 11-19
Clemency Burton-Hill speaks to Daniel Barenboim about how government’s continue to fear the power and influence of music
Global View: Artists on the frontline of censorship battles by Jodie Ginsberg
Jodie Ginsberg, September 2014; vol. 43, 3: pp. 67-69
Index CEO Jodie Ginsberg deconstructs why artists are so often on the front line of censorship battles
The reading list for censorship in the arts can also be found over on the sage website
