FOI_25-181 Content warnings for reading lists
Date of response: 09 July 2025
We have now considered your request of 18 June 2025 for the following information:
Please could you provide a list of books and texts…. which have been flagged as requiring recommendations or suggestions of content warnings to alert students to potentially distressing content, on reading lists or in lectures and seminars/tutorials.
I've narrowed down the topics to the just these units/modules listed as mandatory or optional on the BA English Literature (Q300) course:
- LDCL4008A - Reading Literature in History
- HIS-4012B - Witchcraft, Magic and Belief in Early Modern Europe
- LDCL5070B - Shakespeare
- LDCL5034B - Romantic Transformations: 1740-1830
- LDCL5042A - Early Modern Writing 1600-1740
- LDCL5063A - Medieval Writing: Quest, Fable and Romance
- LDCL5067B - Victorian Writing
- HIS-5080B - Pirates, Seafarers, Shipwreck
- AMAL5081A - Transatlantic Cultures
- HUM-5007A - LGBT and Beyond
- LDCL6081B - Monsters, Marvels and Creative Medieval Heritage
- LDCL6056B - Shakespeare's Dramatic Worlds
- LDCL6162B - Banned Books
- LDCL6176A - Imaginary Endings
- LDCL6130A - The Art of Murder -
Please could I ask again if there are any recommendations or suggestions of content warnings for reading materials/content on these specific modules and units.
Our response:
Please see accompanying document, our ref: FOI_25-181 Appendix A for the content warnings associated with the following modules:
For LDCL6081B - Monsters, Marvels and Creative Medieval Heritage, and
- LDCL6130A - The Art of Murder please see our response to previous related request, our ref: FOI_24-295 Content warnings in BA English Literature
On this occasion it is not possible to provide all of the requested information. In line with your rights under section 1(1)(a) of the Act to be informed whether information is held, we confirm that the University does not hold any recorded information for any content warnings for readings lists for module HIS-5080B - Pirates, Seafarers, Shipwreck or AMAL5081A.
Module HIS-5080B - Pirates, Seafarers, Shipwreck is due to run next academic year 2025-26, and as of the date of your request we do not hold any recorded information for any noted content warnings.
In relation to module AMAL5081A - Transatlantic Cultures, there were no content warnings associated with any reading lists for this module.