Self-Censorship in Contemporary Astrology – Research Project

Hello, and thank you for reading this post.

I am studying for the MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology at the University of Wales Trinity St David’s and since starting the MA what I’ve found most fascinating, quite unexpectedly is the history of astrology. As a result, I’m interested in how astrology which has ‘spoken truth to power’ over millennia has frequently suffered censorship and ridicule in an apparent attempt to silence it and its practitioners.

This research project is an initial attempt to consider if anything has changed in the 21st Century around self-censorship which was often practised in the past for very sensible and pragmatic reasons. For an insight into the research evidence I can recommend a paper by Michelle Arony (nee Pfeffer) with the title ‘Reassessing the Marginalization of Astrology in the Early Modern World‘

If this is something you also think is of interest I would be incredibly grateful if you would complete my initial research questionnaire and/or pass it along to colleagues you think may also be interested.

For clarity, self-censorship is defined by the Oxford University Press as “A process whereby journalists are said to avoid reporting certain stories, sources, allegations, arguments, or opinions for fear that to do so might land them in some kind of trouble or difficulty..” It is also defined by the online Cambridge Dictionary as “control of what you say or do in order to avoid annoying or offending others, but without being told officially that such control is necessary:“

The first part of my research project is gathering initial information through the questionnaire below, it should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. The questionnaire below can completed anonymously as you only need to share a first name and email address if you would like to take part in Next Steps detailed at the end. All responses are voluntary and completing the questionnaire is confirmation of your willingness to take part in this stage of the research project.

Only Question 3 must be answered, this means that if you don’t feel you have a response for some other questions, you do not have to complete them.

All responses will be held in a file protected by secure end-to-end encryption, this file will be deleted as soon as the research project has been completed and marked. Any personally identifiable data will be removed from the data file and will be held separately for the purpose of communicating Next Steps.

Following the questionnaire, I would also like to talk to a few astrologers in more depth about their responses in online interviews of up to one hour. Such interviews will be recorded and transcribed, the recordings will be deleted following transcription. If you would like to take part in an interview you can indicate this at the end of the questionnaire and I will get in touch with more information.

If you have any questions about this research project please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email: linda@lindaph.co.uk.

This research has now completed.