When banned author Juno Dawson told me that she didn't know whether her books were being taken off shelves in UK school libraries, I decided to find out. I spent six months investigating for Index on Censorship, and a number of school librarians told me their experiences of censorship.
The full investigation was published in the summer 2024 edition of Index, as well as online. The Independent broke the story with my joint byline as their front page splash, as well as online, which you can read below.
I reflected on the impact of my findings for Indy Voices, outlining why school libraries shouldn't become battle grounds for cancel culture.
There was a flurry of activity after we published the investigation. The story was covered by The Guardian, The Telegraph, ITV News, Attitude Magazine, The Bookseller, France 24 and Gay Times. Authors reacted as they found out about their books being censored in the UK, and talk about how to address the problem has begun.
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Bibby Stockholm Residents Fear Far-right ViolenceI'd been planning to write a piece celebrating the closure of Bibby Stockholm for New Internationalist when violence took over the country. The celebration was, quite literally, cancelled. I spoke to residents of the barge that is housing asylum seekers, as well as those who protested the far right in Weymouth, to see how riots and racism have impacted the community in Portland.
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The Forgotten Women of West PapuaIn West Papua, international journalists are all but banned. While Indigenous people are being displaced and the land is being desecrated, the world is looking away. Rode Wanimbo has been collecting stories from displaced Indigenous women, and she shared them with me for The Conversationalist.
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The Surprising Communities Thriving in the Time of WarAfter waking to the sound of explosions on February 24 2022, the morning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Anastasiya Volkova knew that she and her family had to leave Kyiv. This is the story of an eco village network in Ukraine and further afield in Europe, offering sanctuary to people who have been displaced by war. Written for Mother Jones.
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Tapestry of TyrannyAs political prisoner numbers in Belarus continue to rise, I speak to an art collective using traditional embroidery to protest, for Index on Censorship.
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The most dangerous man in GuantanamoThe only journalist detained in Guantanamo, Sami Alhaj, tells me about his time there and how he’s now fighting for a fallen friend. For Index on Censorship.
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The Russians Risking it allDespite the odds and the heavy punishments, resistance still exists in Russia. I speak to those who are braving it all to stand up to Putin for Index on Censorship and Byline Times.
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The volunteers tackling loneliness this ChristmasFor the BBC, I spoke to volunteers in Hampshire who have given up time over Christmas to help others.
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Two Years On: The Dwindling Freedoms Following Myanmar’s Military CoupOn the second anniversary of the coup, democracy in the country is slipping further away. A Burmese-led organisation and an exiled journalist describe the landscape to me for Index on Censorship.
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Beaten BackRefugees are forced from country to country by police in European Union nations. This is in contravention of international human rights law. For New Internationalist, originally produced in print.
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When Authorities Dunked Outspoken Women in WaterIn early modern England, women accused of being “common scolds” were immersed in rivers and lakes while strapped to contraptions known as ducking stools. For Smithsonian, I trawled through archives and the brains of historians to piece together a picture of the women punished for speaking out.
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Execution by Another NameKris Maharaj was sentenced to death over 30 years ago for a double murder he swears he did not commit, and the courts have now said as much. And yet, he's still in prison. In his 80s, he's now trying to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. For Enemy.
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Turkey's Refugee Rose PickersAs the annual rose harvest in Turkey draws to a close, I meet some of the Syrian refugees working as rose pickers, to hear their stories of life in Turkey, and what they left behind in Syria.
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How agroecology is transforming a Ugandan refugee campIn a refugee settlement in Uganda, people are transforming their land and changing their lives by planting permaculture gardens. I went to Uganda to meet the group supporting them, and to find out why these gardens are so important
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The right to protest is under threat in Britain‘Incredibly vague’ wording of a parliamentary bill would ‘effectively put the U.K. on par with some of the more repressive countries in the world.’ For The Conversationalist.
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‘Unfit for human habitation’: asylum seekers in the UK are housed in filthy army barracksThe U.K. government’s policy of housing asylum seekers in army barracks has caused a storm of controversy. For The Conversationalist.
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Countries Exploit Covid-19 Pandemic to Shut Down Borders and Block RefugeesThe impact of Covid-19 shutdowns is having a worrying impact on people seeking asylum. I speak to Human Rights Watch and Refugee Rights Europe to find out more. For Shadowproof.
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Exposing the Spy Who Loved MeActivists across the UK are living with the knowledge that they may have been spied upon by undercover police officers, with some even discovering that ex-boyfriends were in fact police spies. As the Public Inquiry into undercover policing continues, I report on the issue and meet some of the women impacted.
After spending time with "Lindsey," I wrote a creative nonfiction piece based on her story.
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In search of rights for human refugeesI travel to Calais to find out what the situation is really like for refugees now that The Jungle has been demolished. I meet grassroots organisations helping people secure even the most basic human rights, and discover the reality for the people living here.
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Why I Went on Hunger StrikeI write about why I joined human rights organisation Reprieve in a hunger strike in solidarity with Guantánamo Bay detainees Ahmed Rabbani and Khalid Qasim. I speak to former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson, and Reprieve Founder Clive Stafford-Smith to find out why they too are joining the fast.
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Andy Tsege is homeAndy Tsege - a British citizen held illegally on death row in Ethiopia for nearly four years - has finally been freed as a result of a campaign by his family. After reporting on the ongoing campaign, I write about Andy's arrival home.
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Reprieve: the injustice of it allThe story behind Human Rights champions, Reprieve.
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Refugee Voices in the Media
Think of the last article you read about refugees. Did it give a platform to refugee voices? How were people represented? I host an evening to discuss refugee voices in the media, and explore ways that journalists can engage in ethical storytelling. An evening of lightning talks, discussions, and storytelling, featuring Rania Ali, Sue Clayton, Jihyun Park, Reem Khabbazy, and Jaz O'hara.
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