Ideology, Taboo, and Translation explores ideologically intertwined books that operate within a cultural context in which different value systems coexist. Books for children and young adults that deal with the topic of sexuality carry a strong ideological message due to their central theme and the age of their target audience. They are part of a broader field of action known as sex education, which aims both to impart knowledge about emotional, social, and physical aspects of sexuality and to communicate a desirable value system.
The authors identify the ideologies expressed in books on sex education published in Poland over a period of more than 120 years and examine a range of factors behind the behavior models promoted in them. They document the strategies used in the books and investigate the mechanisms that have shaped the transmission of knowledge in an environment marked by strong cultural and language taboos. In doing so, they emphasize that translation played a crucial role in triggering turning points in the history of the dissemination of knowledge about sexuality in Poland.