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Open Right

Kelly Gardiner: Words that changed the world

Session Info:

Q: Can you guess the names of the books most often banned in the US in the last decade?

A: The Harry Potter series.

Why? Why do some countries ban Facebook or Google? Who would burn books and libraries? This is a workshop about words and ideas that changed the world – and the forces that tried to stop them.

From the Bible to Galileo to JK Rowling, we’ll tour some of the moments in history when books and maps have changed the way people see the world – and how the world reacted. We’ll look at the ways people have gathered knowledge together in encyclopedias or collections like libraries, or online, from Wikipedia to Wikileaks.

If knowledge is power, can it really be stopped?

Students will explore issues and events including:

  • Famous books and ideas that changed the world
  • The impact of the printing press and internet
  • Malala Yousafzai and her campaigns
  • Stories that changed how we think

Writing exercises include:

  • Write a defence or prosecution argument about banning the Harry Potter books
  • Volunteers will share their arguments with the group in an informal debate