Issues Of Censorship Research Articles

Streetcars: A Comparative Study between Elia Kazan’s A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and Its Various Adaptations by Egyptian Cinema

Abstract This paper probes into the issue of censorship in Egyptian cinema compared to Hollywood during the second half of the twentieth century. It discusses Egyptian censorship regulations and governmental interference in the film industry and their impact on film reception. Conducted over six months, this research specifically investigates three Egyptian film adaptations of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), which are Inhiraf (Aberration) (1985), Alfarisa (Prey) (1986) and Al-Raghba (Desire) (2002). These adaptations are scrutinized through the lens of the Egyptian censorship code and the way these film adaptations may have promoted an Americanization of Arab culture is examined.

Teaching Between the Bans: Exploring Book Banning, Censorship, and Book Access in the Middle Grades

In this article, we invite middle-level educators to discover how literature can be a gateway to understanding and addressing book bans, censorship, and access to books. We delve into the recent rise in book challenges, particularly against diverse narratives, and trace the historical roots of censorship. Highlighting ten selected texts, we show how they can be practical tools in teaching the critical importance of intellectual freedom. Accompanied by discussion questions and engaging teaching ideas, these books aim to spark critical thought, embrace varied viewpoints, and motivate students to actively discuss censorship issues. This piece is a resource for educators to enrich their approach to complex topics and underscore the vital role of reading in shaping aware, inquisitive, and active citizens in today’s increasingly complex world.

Русский модернизм и цензура: заметки к теме

The article presents cautious complaints about the tradition of neglecting the issue of censorship’s persecution of modernist publications. An approximate range of printed and handwritten sources for the description of censorship practices is outlined. The preliminary list of poetry collections for which official restrictions were implied and/or imposed is provided. With the help of archival sources, the history of the prohibition and subsequent release of the two issues of the main Symbolist magazines, “Vesy” and “Zolotoye Runo”, is reconstructed. The algorithm of the supervisory mechanism concerning the periodical after the abolition of the preliminary censorship is described in detail — from the first signal about a text with prohibited content through the collection of expert opinions to collegial discussion and directly to repressive measures. A separate paragraph describes the role of a member of the Moscow Censorship Committee, who played a key role in both stories and how the properties of this role changed depending on personal acquaintance with the author of the text, which was being prohibited. Among the unexpected circumstances that unite these cases is the absolute peacefulness of censorship, which in fact profaned both the orders of higher authorities and the obvious violation of current legislation, limiting the punishment to a ridiculously low fine and, in fact, levelling their complaints.

The Changing Face of Free Speech: A Study of Article 19 in the Digital Age in India

In the digital age, India’s narrative of free speech has encountered both evolution and turbulence. Rooted in the democratic ethos, Article 19 of the Indian Constitution safeguards this freedom, reflecting the country’s commitment to upholding a citizen’s right to express. With the proliferation of online platforms—ranging from social media to news portals—the citizens have found dynamic avenues to articulate their viewpoints. As Nelson Mandela once said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” However, this freedom has its pitfalls in the digital realm: the rapid dissemination of misinformation and the perils of divisive rhetoric. This research delves into the protective umbrella of Article 19 of the Constitution, emphasizing its pivotal role in safeguarding expression. The current landscape necessitates a balance, a careful navigation between the unrestricted flow of opinions and the dangers of digital misinformation. Issues of censorship, both governmental and self-imposed, further complicate this balance. As the world envisages the future of India’s digital discourse, it becomes paramount to ensure that the sanctity of free speech, as championed by Article 19, is preserved, yet responsibly exercised. Conclusively, the paper underscores the imperative of navigating the nuanced balance between unbridled digital expression and the responsibilities accompanying it, all through the lens of Article 19.

Tracing Evolution and Communication Dynamics in Chinese Independent Documentary Films (2012-2022): A Systematic Review of Genre, Censorship, Culture, and Distribution

In the last decade, Chinese independent documentaries have witnessed a profound transformation. While mainstream Chinese documentaries have been extensively examined in scholarly research, there remains a noticeable gap in the comprehensive analysis of independent documentaries from 2012 to 2022. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to provide a holistic assessment of the evolution of Chinese independent documentaries during this pivotal period. It delves into various dimensions, encompassing the impact of political dynamics, funding mechanisms, the selection of film themes, ethical considerations, distribution challenges, and documentary filmmakers’ perspectives. By conducting a rigorous qualitative analysis of approximately 47 scholarly articles from the specialized journal Chinese Independent Cinema Observer and the academic database Scopus, this research reveals the nuanced progression of independent documentaries within China’s dynamic cultural, social, and political context. Preliminary insights from the selected research articles indicate a focused understanding and interest in societal hotspots and political censorship issues within independent documentaries. Furthermore, this research focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities encountered by Chinese independent documentaries during the phases of dissemination and reception. This study offers scholars a profound comprehension of the Chinese independent documentary landscape and provides invaluable strategic insights for producers and distributors.

Censorship issues: awareness and preparedness among university librarians

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the awareness and preparedness level of the chief librarians (CLs) of the universities of Punjab and the Federal area in Pakistan concerning censorship. The study also aims to identify the preferred sources the respondents use to update their knowledge about censorship.Design/methodology/approachThe research work is based on the survey method. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the CLs of 105 universities. The collected data was analysed descriptively.FindingsThe major findings of the study are that there is a dire need to improve the awareness level of the university library CLs regarding censorship. It was also found that a majority of the CLs do have not any formal written policy to handle censorship issues. However, religion was the main cause of censorship in a majority of cases. The study also indicated that social media was the most preferred source CLs use to update their knowledge.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study covers only the CLs of universities of Punjab and the Federal area. Therefore, its findings cannot be generalized to all the library professionals of Pakistan.Practical implicationsThe study will help to understand the awareness level of CLs about censorship-related issues and provide an opportunity for university authorities to arrange training programs for the CLs to enhance their capabilities to deal with censorship issues.Originality/valueThe study will provide awareness and preparedness status of CLs regarding censorship issues.

THE FRIENDSHIP OF WITOLD FRIEMANN AND ADAM MITSCHA WITH KAZIMIERZ BROCZYK RECORDED IN CORRESPONDENCE

In their youth in Lviv, Kazimierz Broczyk, a writer, and two musicians, Witold Friemann and Adam Mitscha, made an acquaintance that in time turned into a devoted lifelong friendship. Even though their fates were separated because of the WW II hardships, and they found themselves in different cities, this is how we have their correspondence kept up among them and uncovering a wide variety of different topics. Its main body is the existentialism related to their lives and moral choices. The letters exchanged by Broczyk and Friemann date back to the period of 1954 and 1967, whereas the letters of Broczyk and Mitscha are from 1962-1967.Broczyk and Friemanns friendship was of a literary and musical nature as Broczyk was the librettist of Giewont Friemanns first, unfinished operatic piece; unfortunately, the work has not survived except for small fragments in the form of songs. Mitscha was in turn Friemanns student in the Lviv period, and with time he became his faithful friend and first biographer. The Broczyks, even though not professionally connected with music, proved to be fond of it (his wife Eugenia sang in a choir) and fascinated by Friemanns compositions presented on the Polish Radio.The three friends and their families constantly suffered from health problems, which undoubtedly resulted from their war experiences and everyday hardships, as well as poor housing conditions in case of the Friemanns, whereas in case of Broczyk, also his stays in prison and deportation. Apart from that, in the letters we read about the moral dilemma they had, their attitudes and deliberations pertaining to religious beliefs. The artists also shared their creative achievements and the differences they noticed between music and words while expressing themselves (censorship issues). To that we should add diligent teaching work plus editing and translation activity, which are the essence of the epistolography referred to here. All three of them were also authors of Memoirs, which still today constitute a testimony to the bygone era as well as their personal fate and the fates of their loved ones and other people significant in their lives, all of which were part of that era too.Holiday and nameday greetings and the very touching tone of the letters and mutual concerns for each other fully show the notion of a true friendship the friendship that was strengthened by their meetings in person in Cracow, which occurred during the Friemanns holiday trips to that city.In all three houses like protective spirits our heroes wives appear full of dedication, self-sacrifice, and devotion, often adding their names to what their husbands wrote, and also their sons, who frequently caused their parents a lot of worry and trouble. Their dilemmas and dramas like in reference to Broczyks only son Szczsny are also depicted in the letters presented here in a very heartrending way.Broczyk dedicated a significant part of his letters to his fascination by nature, which he admired together with his wife, and deep reflection on evanescence, he rebuked himself for no creative fever as compared to the always creative Friemann, and for being torn, which bothered him ([...] Everything Ive done in my life has been loomed over by this curse of incompletion. Ive never properly finished anything because Ive never been exclusively devoted to anything [...]). He also had to face the passing of his beloved wife.

School library censorship: Looking at the perspective of a school librarian association in Indonesia

The information needs of students must be met by school libraries as resources for student learning with collections that support academic curricula and are suitable for learning activities. A collection that contains no sensitive or contentious material is one that is appropriate for students. In this study, censorship issues in school library collections are examined from the point of view of the Association of Indonesian School Librarians. The study found four topics connected to the Association’s perspective on censorship issues in school libraries based on staff interviews and thematic analysis: the root reasons for censorship; how censorship is implemented; how to become a competent librarian; and how urgent censorship is. Censorship is seldom reported, thus the Association does not view it as a pressing concern. It places greater emphasis on problems such as information literacy training and developing librarians’ competencies than censoring library collections. Hence, there is no national attention given to this subject.

«Мы – содружество, мы – общество, но мы не школа…»: к столетию объединения «Серапионовы братья»

This article reviews the materials of a multi-author monograph dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the literary association “Serapion brothers”. This project has united researchers from Saratov, Moscow, St Petersburg, considered to be renowned experts in the history of Russian literature of the 1920–1930s. The research is based on the unique documents from the Serapion brothers’ legacy being introduced into the scientific circulation (K. Fedin, Vs. Ivanov, N. Tikhonov, V. Kaverin, I. Gruzdev). The documents are kept in the funds of the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow), Literary Museum of the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences (The Pushkin House), National Library of Russia (Saint Petersburg), State Museum of K. A. Fedin (Saratov). Their interpretation allows to fill the factual gaps in the history of the association and in the biographies of its members, to define the system of creative and interpersonal relationships between them more precisely. The monograph’s intention is unified by the material itself, by the general methodological principles of working with archive materials, by the presence of several recurrent plots, appearing in different articles. Among them there is a plot, rather appropriate for the anniversary edition, about different anniversaries of Serapion brothers, discussions of Eurasianism, of the nature of genre, of the “red Pinkerton”. The issues of censorship and self-censorship, questions of text studies and principles of ego-documents’ publication hold a prominent place on the pages of the monograph. These questions are not only theoretical, they have a rather practical significance in preparing the full texts of K. A. Fedin’s diaries for publication, on which the creative team is working. The monograph itself manifests the implementation of the proclaimed principles, as it is supplemented by wide-ranging reference materials, which offer great opportunities of further research of the literary phenomenon of Serapion brothers.

Cinema in the World of OTT and the Ethics of Visual Representation in a Fictional World

Research has revealed that during the Corona Pandemic almost a thousand single screen theatres shut down for good in India. Meanwhile, a huge surge was seen in the viewership of OTT platforms. Producers who could not release their films in theatres sold their films to OTTs instead; and this trend has continued even in the post-pandemic environ. It is believed that this growth in the popularity of streaming platforms is facilitated by the bolder content that OTTs offer, raising several ethical dilemmas for both viewers and the government over censorship issues. A survey conducted by this researcher amongst more than 350 young students across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh revealed that 47.5% of the respondents (311) go only once a year to watch a film in a cinema hall, while 14.3% do not go to a film theatre at all. On the other hand, among the same set of respondents, 13.2% watch a film every day, 38.5% watch every week and 40.8% every month on an OTT platform. 51.3% of the youth who responded to the survey also revealed that the explicit scenes of nudity and violence in OTT content, does not bother them. There is however also the view shared with this researcher by Jyotsana Garg, an advisory panel member of the Central Board of Film Certification, who says that the present guidelines enacted to regulate OTTs in India are not adequate; as the foul language, nudity and violence in OTT content will negatively impact the youth, and there is a need for greater censorship. The moral compass is obviously divergent between the youth and policy makers. In conclusion, there are contrary ethical standards and many dilemmas surrounding visual representations in the fictional world of cinema and OTT, especially with OTTs showcasing bolder content and threatening the very survival of cinema halls.

THE EFFORT TO IMPROVE MODERATION OF RELIGION IN INDONESIA (A STUDY ON THE YOUTUBE MINISTRY IN THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA)

ABSTRACTSince the discourse on religious censorship was presented by minister lukman (2014-2019) judge saifuddin (2014-2019), the ministry of religions has continued to develop knowledge and strengthen religious censorship narratives through various platforms in the digital world. The study focuses on increased religious censorship by the ministry of the republic of Indonesia on youtube, the most popular social media platform for today's Internet users. Using a method of analysis of content with a descriptive analysis method, the study reaches several conclusions. First, in intensity, the use of the youtube channel in strengthening religious censorship issues still needs to be increased. Of the total of 318 videos uploaded to the youtube account by the ministry of religion, only 15 (4.71%) contain content on censorship and religious harmony. The annual frequency was still low, and even in 2019 there was no content on moderation and religious harmony. Second, the concept of religious censorship is still applied primarily to intellectuals who have not touched millennials. Its trend is still limited in eradicating negative issues related to the government's religious regulation program. Third, according to the warganet reaction data on censored and harmonized video content remains low. It has been found that netizens prefer the term of harmony to moderation. This suggests that the people of Indonesia in general prefer harmony, but there are still some interpretations or negative impressions of the term "moderation" carried by the ministry of religions.Keywords: religious moderation, ministry of religion, youtube

Some features of censorship policy during the Crimean War of 1853–1856

The article is devoted to the analysis of new sources found in the National Archives of the Republic of Tatarstan in Kazan, which clarify the picture of the censorship policy of the tsarist government during the war years. The study was carried out based on the modernization concept of Russian history, in which the printed word appears as one of the main engines of modernization, as well as on the methods of intellectual history, in which book publishing and the press are studied in close connection with issues of censorship policy. The modern historiography of the Crimean (Eastern) War continues to be enriched with new works devoted to Russian public life and connected with the history of the press and censorship. А rich literature is devoted to the history of Russian periodicals and journalism, but not to the censorship policy of the Russian Empire. The article considers a number of circulars of the Ministry of Public Education, which was the leading state body in the implementation of the censorship policy, but in war conditions it carefully took into account the requirements of the Military Censorship Committee under the General Staff. The emperor actively intervened in censorship issues, especially in publicizing literary works in the press. For example, the newspaper Samarskiye Gubernskiye Vedomosti shows, that the provincial press reprinted notes and reports about the war from the capital news that had already passed the censorship check. Despite the selection of information, these reports did not hide information about the losses of Russian troops

Shaw the Fighter (Bernard Shaw and the Censors. Fights and Failures, Stage and Screen)

Shaw the Fighter (Bernard Shaw and the Censors. Fights and Failures, Stage and Screen)

Empathetic Exchange of Censored Scenes: Southeast Asian Theatre’s Bold Experiment

At the 2021 Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting (BIPAM), Southeast Asian dramatists presented new works that combined personal histories with the overarching political struggles in the region. One presentation, Deleted Scenes in SEA: Ownership Under Censorship, not only took up the issues of censorship and self-censorship but also entangled the distinct cultural identities of three countries – Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand – by reprising scenes formerly banned in them. The new versions were directed and performed in a language of one of the other countries. Adapting each other’s censored scenes, and re-enacting their similar experiences in countering political repression, required empathetic imagination, and could be a new theatrical platform for creating a sense of regional solidarity. Catherine Diamond is a Professor of Theatre and Environmental Literature at Soochow University, Taiwan. She is the author of Communities of Imagination: Contemporary Southeast Asian Theatres (University of Hawai’i Press, 2012) and the playwright/director of the Kinnari Ecological Theatre Project (KETEP) in Southeast Asia.

Next Issue

The second volume is themed around the issue of censorship in dance and will include invited and openly sourced articles, interviews, book reviews, performance reviews, screendance reviews, and photographs. As a digital-only platform, it will include seminal performance excerpts as well, all of which will go through double-blind peer review and selection process. The range of contributions should aim at indicating theoretical, performative, and/ or activist intersections and interstices in South Asian dance. The contributions may hail from all geopolitical contexts where South Asian dance or its variants are practiced, nurtured, or consumed. All images, photographs or footages included, including personal, archival, performance, film, television and “found” footage, must be covered by the terms of copyright as covered in the journal’s ‘Terms of Copyright’ document.
 Final deadline: January 31, 2023.

COMMUNICATION FLOW IN ORGANIZATIONS

ABSTRACT Since the discourse on religious censorship was presented by minister lukman (2014-2019) judge saifuddin (2014-2019), the ministry of religions has continued to develop knowledge and strengthen religious censorship narratives through various platforms in the digital world. The study focuses on increased religious censorship by the ministry of the republic of Indonesia on youtube, the most popular social media platform for today's Internet users. Using a method of analysis of content with a descriptive analysis method, the study reaches several conclusions. First, in intensity, the use of the youtube channel in strengthening religious censorship issues still needs to be increased. Of the total of 318 videos uploaded to the youtube account by the ministry of religion, only 15 (4.71%) contain content on censorship and religious harmony. The annual frequency was still low, and even in 2019 there was no content on moderation and religious harmony. Second, the concept of religious censorship is still applied primarily to intellectuals who have not touched millennials. Its trend is still limited in eradicating negative issues related to the government's religious regulation program. Third, according to the warganet reaction data on censored and harmonized video content remains low. It has been found that netizens prefer the term of harmony to moderation. This suggests that the people of Indonesia in general prefer harmony, but there are still some interpretations or negative impressions of the term "moderation" carried by the ministry of religions.Keywords: Communication Flow, Organizations

SUPORT SYSTEM DECISION (DSS) PRESMA ELECTIONS OF UNIKI USING SIMPLE ADDITIVE WEIGHTHING METHODE (SAW)

ABSTRACT Since minister lukman (2014-2019) and judge saifuddin (2014-2019) presented the discourse on religious censorship, the ministry of religions has continued to develop knowledge and strengthen religious censorship narratives through various digital platforms. The study focuses on the Ministry of the Republic of Indonesia's increased religious censorship on YouTube, the most popular social media platform for today's Internet users. The study draws several conclusions by combining a content analysis method with a descriptive analysis method. First, the intensity with which the YouTube channel is used to strengthen religious censorship issues needs to be increased. Only 15 (4.71%) of the 318 videos uploaded to the ministry of religion's YouTube account contain content on censorship and religious harmony. The annual frequency remained low, and there was no content on moderation and religious harmony in 2019. Second, religious censorship is still applied primarily to intellectuals who have not reached out to millennials. Its progress in eradicating negative issues related to the government's religious regulation program remains limited. Third, reaction data on censored and harmonized video content remains low, according to warganet. According to research, netizens prefer the term harmony to moderation. This suggests that the Indonesian people prefer harmony in general, but there are still some interpretations or negative impressions of the term "moderation" carried by the ministry of religions. Keywords: Methode (SAW), Student presidency candidate (PRESMA), Decision-making support systems

Introduction

Introduction Aisha Z. Cort (bio) The articles and interviews of this Close-Up interrogate the numerous dimensions of Contemporary Cuban cinema. The pieces included endeavor to explore the use of film not only as a narrative mode for the official voice of the Cuban nation but also a narrative tool for counterhistories. The authors of the investigations that follow have centered their projects around an exploration of major sociohistoric and sociopolitical developments in the revolution and their intersection with themes of identity politics, counternarratives, and techniques of film production. The cultural currency of film in Cuban revolutionary society has provided for a uniquely crafted and skilled film culture in Cuba. It is rich in not only nuance, but also inventiveness and interpretational innovation. Nationalized in 1959 with the formation of Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos, commonly referred to as ICAIC, through over sixty years of the revolution, Cuba's film industry has long held a privileged position within Cuban and also global society, serving as an informal measuring stick for the nation's progress. The early years of the revolution produced seminal films from directors such as Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Humberto Solás, and Julio García Espinosa who inserted themes of race, class, and gender into the revolutionary dialogue. Alternative voices such as Nicolás Guillén Landrián, Sergio Giral, and Sara Gómez served as a warning to those who would posit in their works serious questions regarding the incongruities that existed between the tenets of the Cuban Revolution and artistic and racial dialogue and expression. Contemporary directors such as Gloria Rolando, Eric Corvalán Pelle, Miguel Coyula, and Damián Sainz utilize a variety of genres, embrace new filmic techniques and resources such as international partnerships to develop and distribute their films globally and also to more freely interrogate the themes in their films that might have been considered controversial and antirevolutionary within contemporary Cuban society, which, coupled with various [End Page 174] instances of sociohistorical and political change in Cuba, has furthered the evolution of Cuban cinema in more recent years. Within the context of debates around the relationship between art and revolution, it is critical to examine Fidel Castro's 1961 meeting with intellectuals, during which he launched a phrase that defined Cuban cultural policy for years to come, "Dentro de la Revolución todo; contra la Revolución nada" (Within the Revolution everything, against the Revolution, nothing). "Palabras a los Intelectuales" (Words to the Intellectuals) (as they have been known from then on) was an intervention delivered at the conclusion of three days of meetings whose goal was to discuss and define the boundaries of artistic creation within the Cuban Revolution. They were inspired by the tensions between two artistic organizations of the early years of the Cuban Revolution, Lunes de Revolución and the ICAIC.1 In this speech Castro not only laid the groundwork for the cultural aesthetics of the revolution, but also set the precedent for future conflicts, which would inevitably arise between the tenets of the Cuban Revolution and Cuban artistic expression. The tensions between Lunes de Revolución and the ICAIC originated largely from the censoring of the 1961 film P.M. and, on a smaller scale, from debates over which organization should be entrusted with disseminating cinematographic criticism. P.M. was a short film directed by Saba Cabrera Infante (brother of Lunes de Revolución's editor, Guillermo Cabrera Infante) and Orlando Jiménez-Leal. In this film, the directors portrayed Havana's nightlife from the point of view of the city's Afro-Cuban population.2 ICAIC, the official organization of Cuban film workers, supported the revolutionary government's decision to ban the film, while Lunes de Revolución did not. The positioning of these two groups on opposite sides of the fence with regards to the issue of artistic censorship helped to transform Lunes de Revolución, previously an ally of the revolution, into an enemy. Pitted against each other in this manner, the tensions between ICAIC and Lunes de Revolución brought to a head the previously veiled issue of the limits of artistic expression within the Cuban Revolution...

Phantasms of Dissent

Taking Back the Legislature and Inside the Red Brick Wall depict two critical events in Hong Kong’s relentless 2019 protests, illuminating the messy scrum of direct actions in unflinching detail. Produced collectively and credited anonymously out of concern for the filmmakers’ safety, they present a formal challenge to the tropes and ethics of documentary filmmaking that have come to redefine Hong Kong cinema and the “copaganda” film as genre. This article takes a necessary intervention to study Taking Back the Legislature and Inside the Red Brick Wall formally, reaching beyond the political controversies and censorship issues surrounding these films. Decoding uses of blur, this article examines how the filmmakers accomplish a way of seeing that is beyond surveillance cinema—undoing the trope of a singular, exposed protagonist in favor of an anonymized, blurred and phantasmic mass—that poses a new cinematic vernacular of fugitivity.

Satiric parody through Indian English tweets in Twitter

AbstractThis paper examines satiric parody in Hinglish tweets that users created in response to the censorship in India of the James Bond movie Spectre. The analysis reveals the creativity with which users conflated two different cultures (Indian and Western) and languages (Hindi and English) in their tweets for a parodic portrayal of James Bond in an Indianized avatar and a satirical criticism of the underlying conservative ideology behind the censorship of the movie. Rather than taking the form of acrimonious debate on the issue of censorship, the #SanskariJamesBond tweets show how users dealt with the issue through satirical user‐generated Twitter memes. This study demonstrates that parody through code‐mixed tweets is an effective way of highlighting controversies, taking a stand on them, and, simultaneously, countering conflicting views through a collective public response on a social media platform.