Warwick Bans The Term 'Trigger Warnings' Due To Its Potential To Upset Students

15/08/2022, 12:39 Warwick bans the term 'trigger warnings' due to its potential to upset students
Who we are
Contact
Advertise
Tips
Warwick
Write
Tips
News
Trash
Agenda
Trends
Opinion
Guides
Warwick bans the term ‘trigger warnings’ due to its potential to

upset students
A Tory MP has called the decision ‘ludicrous’
9 months ago
Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
The University of Warwick has banned the term “trigger warnings” over concerns the phrase could potentially upset some students. A Freedom of Information
request revealed the uni will now refer to them as “content notes”, due to the word “trigger” being deemed too “provocative” for those on drama and literature
courses.
https://thetab.com/uk/warwick/2021/11/29/warwick-bans-the-term-trigger-warnings-due-to-its-potential-to-upset-students-39122 1/18
The uni started using trigger warnings in 2019, but has since received criticisms about the material studied by those drama and literature courses. Warwick is not
the only university to make these amendments – the University of Greenwich has also implemented the same changes, following requests from students.
Trigger warnings are commonly used to alert audiences before they look at sensitive material which has the potential to be too distressing for some. This
includes racism, mental illness and violence. With trigger warnings, students can be prepared in case they deem those themes to be too unpleasant or
uncomfortable to delve into.
Content notes state: “Studying literature necessarily involves confronting particular ideas, words and experiences that you might find offensive, upsetting, or
disturbing. All of the modules you take in the department will involve material that can be difficult for some people, even traumatic.”
20 WORKOUT FAILS
NOW YOU DON'T WANT
PLAYING TO REPEAT Watch
Video
Madonna wants to
collaborate with
Kendrick Lamar Watch
Video
'IF I'M HONEST...'

Danica Spills ALL
The Love Island
TEA!! Watch Video
Suspect in Sir
Salman Rushdie
case pleads not
Works of literature known to have content notes include George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and H.G. Wells’ War Of The Worlds. Additionally, some of
Shakespeare’s material (particularly his tragedies) are known to be filled with violence and representations of suffering.
The move has received mixed reviews from students. A second-year student studying in the uni’s English Literature and Comparative Studies department said:
“I understand why content notes are there. Sometimes we work with some really heavy material (like mental illness) that might be uncomfortable to read and
that’s obviously understandable. Whilst literature is all about confronting the uncensored, it’s still important to give people that choice.”
Another second year student said: “I would rather keep the term ‘trigger’, because that’s exactly what I’m being warned about – it’s important to know what will
‘trigger me’, and there’s a big difference between that and just ‘sensitive content’.”
Furthermore, Dame Margaret Drabble, the bestselling author of A Summer Bird-Cage and The Millstone said: “In principle I am against censorship and believe
literature has a right to distress and alarm.”
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen also commented on the matter, accusing the uni of mollycoddling students. He said: “Warwick’s decision to take offence at the word
trigger is ludicrous. How is this preparing students for a life in the outside world? Who is actually calling for these trigger or content warnings? Is it resilient
young people or woke-afflicted academics?”
“It is getting out of control and harming the next generation. When I attended university, it was to be educated and prepared for the world of work. It now
appears our universities are preparing their students for a world of woke.”
There has also been a backlash on Twitter to the news, with one user calling students “snowflakes”.
This is what the West has become… a society full of namby-pamby, emotionally
challenged idiots! 🙄
Warwick University scraps term 'trigger warning' because it fears the phrase is too
'provocative' and could UPSET snowflake students https://t.co/G3YEW2DNXX
— Nomadic Hermit ('For Britain' Member) (@nomadic_hermit) November 21, 2021
In response to the Freedom of Information request, a spokesman from Warwick explained how the English and Comparative Literary Studies department offers
help to students who deal with “difficult and complex questions.”
They said: “The department has always had strategies in place to address these questions, although the way these strategies are flagged has changed.”
Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Warwick SU release their Drink-Spiking Action Plan
• NUS slams Warwick Uni for allegedly snooping on a climate activist student
• Warwick SU announces drug-detection dog will be at POP! this week to tackle spiking
Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
RECOMMENDED READ
Karaoke bars and rent-free stays: Welcome to the UK’s most *stunning*
student apartments
The vibes are ✨ excellent✨
Student Roost
BRANDS
Warwick mental health services named ‘unfit’ over student loneliness concerns
Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
A national study has found that student loneliness remains unchanged since the pandemic
It’s finally time, vote now in final of The Tab Warwick’s ultimate BNOC
competition
Christopher Tang
Guides
WARWICK
Time to crown the almighty Warwick BNOC
The THIRD and FINAL round of BNOC votes is here at last

Bella Hucknall
Guides
WARWICK
Meet and vote for our final nominees!
A first year student from Warwick university has passed away

Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
Sam Whitaker died at his hall of residence on June 6th
It’s time for the second round of Warwick Tab BNOC votes
Christopher Tang
Guides
WARWICK
Time to crown the BNOC finalist number two
I visited TikTok’s favourite chip shop: Binley Mega Chippy

Bella Hucknall
Opinion
WARWICK
Didn’t think a Coventry chip shop would be the highlight of my journalism career but here we are
The first round of votes is now OPEN for The Warwick Tab BNOC of 2022
Christopher Tang
Guides
WARWICK
Stop what you’re doing right now and start voting ASAP
Warwick Pride says Nadhim Zahawi ‘incites’ hatred, ahead of the minister’s
visit to campus
Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
Warwick Pride claimed Zahawi ‘plays a significant role in institutional transphobia’
Eurovision makes a triumphant return to the Piazza

Zahra Asif
News
WARWICK
There was even a Moldovan mob…
The Warwick Tab BNOC of 2022 Nominations are now OPEN

Christopher Tang
Guides
WARWICK
Let’s see who’ll be crowned The Warwick Tab BNOC of 2022
Introducing Warwick University’s very own Taylor Swift Society

Mahek Bhatia
Guides
WARWICK
Or should I say, socie-tay 😉
Former Warwick Uni student on trial for leading Neo-Nazi group

Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
The group called for an ‘all-out race war’
Backyard Festival is coming to Leam, and here’s what you need to know
Zahra Asif
News
WARWICK
A music festival in Leam? Well I never…
This is what every Bridgerton character would be like if they went to Warwick
Zahra Asif
Guides
WARWICK
Colin has year-abroad energy, don’t even deny it
Warwick Uni denied a dyslexic student extra time as it would give them an
‘unfair advantage’
Christopher Tang
News
WARWICK
‘The university are failing disabled students’
Warwick has launched a new interdisciplinary Taylor Swift module

Zahra Asif
News
WARWICK
Are YOU ready for it?
Warwick celebrates the success of Paralympian student Kare Adenegan

Richa Ved
News
WARWICK
Adenegan won two silver medals in the most recent Tokyo Paralympics
Love Island’s Brett has been spotted in Leamington Spa

Zahra Asif
News
WARWICK
Does this make Leam cool? Probably not
Warwick students can now get free period products across campus
Zahra Asif
Guides
WARWICK
A new pilot scheme has launched in the #EndPeriodPoverty campaign
Here are the disasters guaranteed to happen in your second year house
Christopher Tang
Guides
WARWICK
Freshers, you’ll miss living on campus – trust me
People are dragging YouTuber Anastasia Kingsnorth for her ‘cheapest food’
video
Georgia Mooney
Trends
UK
‘This is poor people’s reality’
How old the cast of Never Have I Ever are in real life, compared to their Netflix
characters
Hayley Soen
Trash
UK
I’ll never be over Paxton being 31 in real life
It’s been 19 years since the first Cheetah Girls film premiered, what are they up
to now?
Katelyn Mensah
Trash
UK
Aqua and Dorinda are still amigas in real life
These are the uni cities where students rely the most on mummy and daddy’s
money
Danny Shaw
News
UK
On average, UK students receive £331 from the bank of mum and dad every month
Meet all the new cast members in season three of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever
Katelyn Mensah
Trash
UK
One of the new characters is Reese Witherspoon’s son!
Amber Gill says she’s ‘disgusted’ by the Murad Merali OnlyFans situation
Georgia Mooney
Trends
UK
‘This isn’t a situation where I have a hot take’
The finalists’ first TikTok posts back will fill the Love Island-shaped hole in
your life
Phoebe Kowhai
Love Island 2022
UK
I’m obsessed with each and every one of them
Jason Nash claims Trisha Paytas threatened to ‘destroy’ him if they ever broke
up
Georgia Mooney
Trends
UK
He’s spoken out about their relationship for the first time in three years
Here are all the Love Island 2022 finalists’ first posts back on Instagram since
the villa
Georgia Mooney
Love Island 2022
UK
It won’t surprise you to see Indiyah is serving
I hate to break it you, but here are the celebs who still follow Andrew Tate on
Instagram
Katelyn Mensah
Trends
UK
Donald Trump Jr follows him lol
These are the uni cities where students are spending the most on booze every
month
Danny Shaw
News
UK
Finally, a league table that Cambridge comes bottom in
We all misjudged Tasha and Andrew, they’re officially the best Love Island
couple
Izzy Schifano
Love Island 2022
UK
Or whatever x
10 years since it ended, this is what the cast of iCarly are up to now
Bella Fatherley
Trash
UK
Most of them have returned to star in the new iCarly reboot!!
Every single salty comment this year’s Love Islanders have made about the
producers
Hannah Van De Peer
Love Island 2022
UK
Coco’s dad literally had to ring up
Debunked: Is MrBeast actually dead and where did these rumours even come
from?
Georgia Mooney
Trends
UK
Here we go again
These are the universities where graduates are earning the most after five years
Phoebe Kowhai
News
UK
Should have gone to a Russell Group
Love Island star Paige Thorne is going back to her paramedic day job
Katelyn Mensah
Love Island 2022
UK
‘I saw an ambulance the other day with sirens on and I had serious FOMO’
These are the uni cities where the cost of living is highest for students in 2022
Danny Shaw
News
UK
Wouldn’t want to be an Edinburgh student rn
Davide has revealed what he plans to spend his prize money on and it’s so
wholesome
Georgia Mooney
Love Island 2022
UK
Mum and dad are THRIVING xxx
Danica says she wishes she’d confronted Paige over how she treated her in the
villa
Lydia Venn
Love Island 2022
UK
‘It was very clear she wanted me to go’
From cooking shows to world tours: What are our favourite Disney Channel
stars up to now?
Katelyn Mensah
Trash
UK
All the Jonas brothers are married with kids🥺
Most Read
News
Trash
Agenda
Trends
Opinion
Guides
Universities
Company
Advertise
Privacy Policy
Archives
Write for us
Register
Login
Help
Who we are
Contacts
Cookie settings
Get in touch
Help
Who we are
Contacts
Cookie settings
Visit
digitalbox.com
editor@thetab.com
Contact
Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London E1 5JL

Warwick Bans The Term 'Trigger Warnings' Due To Its Potential To Upset Students

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Warwick Bans The Term 'Trigger Warnings' Due To Its Potential To Upset Students

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

15/08/2022, 12:39 Warwick bans the term 'trigger warnings' due to its potential to upset students

Warwick bans the term ‘trigger warnings’ due to its potential to

'IF I'M HONEST...'

Related stories recommended by this writer:

Time to crown the almighty Warwick BNOC

The THIRD and FINAL round of BNOC votes is here at last

Meet and vote for our final nominees!

A first year student from Warwick university has passed away

Sam Whitaker died at his hall of residence on June 6th

Time to crown the BNOC finalist number two

I visited TikTok’s favourite chip shop: Binley Mega Chippy

Warwick Pride claimed Zahawi ‘plays a significant role in institutional transphobia’

Eurovision makes a triumphant return to the Piazza

There was even a Moldovan mob…

The Warwick Tab BNOC of 2022 Nominations are now OPEN

Let’s see who’ll be crowned The Warwick Tab BNOC of 2022

Introducing Warwick University’s very own Taylor Swift Society

Or should I say, socie-tay 😉

Former Warwick Uni student on trial for leading Neo-Nazi group

The group called for an ‘all-out race war’

A music festival in Leam? Well I never…

Colin has year-abroad energy, don’t even deny it

‘The university are failing disabled students’

Warwick has launched a new interdisciplinary Taylor Swift module

Are YOU ready for it?

Warwick celebrates the success of Paralympian student Kare Adenegan

Love Island’s Brett has been spotted in Leamington Spa

Does this make Leam cool? Probably not

A new pilot scheme has launched in the #EndPeriodPoverty campaign

Freshers, you’ll miss living on campus – trust me

‘This is poor people’s reality’

I’ll never be over Paxton being 31 in real life

Aqua and Dorinda are still amigas in real life

One of the new characters is Reese Witherspoon’s son!

‘This isn’t a situation where I have a hot take’

I’m obsessed with each and every one of them

It won’t surprise you to see Indiyah is serving

Donald Trump Jr follows him lol

Finally, a league table that Cambridge comes bottom in

Most of them have returned to star in the new iCarly reboot!!

Coco’s dad literally had to ring up

Should have gone to a Russell Group

Wouldn’t want to be an Edinburgh student rn

Mum and dad are THRIVING xxx

‘It was very clear she wanted me to go’

All the Jonas brothers are married with kids🥺

You might also like