Students were warned that a lecture discussing Titus Andronicus and The Comedy of Errors would include ‘discussions of sexual violence’Cambridge students have been given timetables bearing “trigger warnings” to alert them that a lecture on the works of Shakespeare could be upsetting. The use of trigger warnings on university courses has garnered criticisms that universities are overprotective of students’ sensibilities. While trigger warnings have become increasingly pervasive in recent years, particularly in the US, concerns have been raised over their use in a rigorous academic context. Some mental health professionals have advised against trigger warnings on the basis that exposure to potentially uncomfortable discussions is more conducive to healing than avoidance. Another lecture on “Violence” and a seminar titled “Inhibiting the Body” also reportedly bore trigger warnings.

Source: The Guardian October 19, 2017 14:15 UTC