Trigger warnings and the student experience (Winner of the 2017 Politics Learning and Teaching Prize)

The use of trigger warnings (TW) in higher education (HE) is a point of significant contention. Discussion has centred on academic perspectives. This study turns that around to ask what the student experiences of TW are, how they are perceived, and what this contributes to the existing debate. Based on survey and focus group data from two undergraduate modules, this article demonstrates that students are similarly divided on TW. It also re-assesses the current debate with respect to positive/negative effects on students, in-class applications of TW, how far students believe their learning environment should be ‘controlled’, and perceived censorship.