Research field reading - reading as a total phenomenon

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Svenja Hagenhoff
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies ; General Education and History of Education ; Communication Sciences ; Theatre and Media Studies
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 464574160

The subject area of the network is current research on the complex cultural technique of reading. This is a "total social phenomenon" that penetrates all areas of modern societies and is relevant for all actors in a society. Today, the majority of communication and information reception takes place through the sign system of writing and the reception technique of reading. In accordance with its complexity, reading is the object of investigation in many scientific disciplines, without, however, representing a field of research of its own. The integration of the research, which is fragmented across dozens of disciplines, is correspondingly difficult, as is the exchange of information among scientists and the transport of findings to civil society. The overall goal of the network is therefore to create a platform for integrated reading research. In concrete terms, three results are being sought: (1) to bundle the scattered research of contemporary reading research in terms of content. (2) To formally institutionalize reading research in Germany in a scholarly professional society and to establish a publication organ in this society. (3) To support early career researchers, for whom the network offers the opportunities of a research workshop on the one hand, and to improve the options for career paths also (but not only) outside the academia by acquiring competencies on the other. The network will offer workshops on 4 perspectives on the subject of reading (subject dimension, time dimension, space dimension and social dimension) and 2 workshops on institutionalization (professional society, publication organ). A final symposium will bring together all results.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Ute Schneider