Beyond the Book project: quantitative data and collateral documents for One Book, One Chicago

Quantitative data and collateral documents Chicago portion of the AHRC-funded project ‘Beyond the Book: Mass Reading Events and Contemporary Cultures of Reading in the UK, USA and Canada’, (2005-2008, grant number: 112166), a three-year interdisciplinary project. The study researched a selection of 21st-century reading events which employ mass media (TV and radio) and city-wide reading projects which employ the ‘One Book, One Community’ model. The primary aims of the transnational study were to investigate how mass reading events configure contemporary practices of reading and the cultural meanings of reading at local, national and international levels; to explain the uses and complexities of reading communities in different locations; to identify and analyse trans-national trends and differences in contemporary reading cultures and reading practices; and, to critique the popular function of literary fiction. The file contains the data collected from a series of an online survey of readers in Chicago. Convenience sampling was employed. The survey was advertised through adverts in newspapers, on-line advertisements; flyers and bookmarks distributed through public library systems and cultural centres; via email through the research team’s formal and informal social and professional networks. The data includes reading choice, habits and practices; participation in broadcast and community book programming; and, basic demographic information (anonymised). The statistical data is deposited in .sav .csv and .por formats. Collateral material includes: Codebook and the Survey. Content was created between ca. 2006-10-13 and 2008-08-25. Content was saved 2008-10-31. http://www.beyondthebookproject.org

Fallen and Cross-Border Literary Commemoration, 1916

Abstract: We analyse the centenary-focused, jointly programmed, “One Book Two Cities” mass reading event organised around Lia Mills’ title, Fallen, in Dublin and Belfast in 2016. Drawing on Sarah Pink’s theory of the place-event, we analyse this mass reading event through event programmes, press releases, newspaper articles, and social media platforms. This mass reading event challenged readers to consider how books were changed by place, and challenged organisers to consider how places were transformed by readers and books. Based on analyses of programmatic activities, we argue that this cross-border activity allowed organisers to engage with the 1916 commemorative programme and participate in the aspirational goals of literary reconciliation, but it permitted them to do so in ways that avoided contested narratives about history, nation, and gender. Historical commemoration in “One Book Two Cities” demonstrates how contemporary politics of commemoration in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland continue to be inflected with their historical entanglements.Résumé : Cet article s’intéresse au projet “One Book Two Cities”, coproduit par les bibliothèques publiques de Belfast et Dublin, à l’occasion du centenaire du soulèvement de 1916, et à la lecture publique du roman de Lia Mills, Fallen, qui fut organisée à cette occasion. Il utilise le concept de l’« événement-lieu » tel que l’a théorisé Sarah Pink, et s’appuie sur des sources secondaires variées : programmes, coupures de presse, articles de journaux et plateformes multimédia. La lecture publique de grande ampleur de Fallen a encouragé les lectrices et lecteurs à s’interroger sur la façon dont un lieu peut changer la réception d’un livre et a, inversement, invité les organisateurs de l’événement à réfléchir à la manière dont un lieu peut être transformé par un livre ou la présence de lectrices et lecteurs. Cette lecture transfrontalière a permis aux organisatrices et organisateurs de participer aux commémorations de 1916 et les a amenés à s’interroger sur le rôle de la littérature dans le processus de réconciliation, tout en évitant les polémiques que des récits historiques, ou des concepts tels la nation ou le genre peuvent susciter. Le projet “One Book Two Cities” montre que les politiques commémoratives de la République d’Irlande et de l’Irlande du Nord continuent d’être infléchies par la nature et la représentation des conflits passés

Badges of Wisdom, Spaces for Being: A Study of Contemporary Women\u27s Book Clubs

This study explores the social contours and the talk within contemporary women\u27s book clubs. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories of interpretive community, feminist epistemology, and cultural studies to illustrate the social relations of the groups as more than a sum of its readers. Ethnographic and survey methods are blended in an original interpretation of the reading motivations, practices, pleasures of five Canadian reading groups and more than 252 readers found on line. An account of the descriptive, normative and ideological concepts of book club community, the work supplies an important gap in studies of women\u27s reading experiences in Canada. This dissertation argues: (1) that book clubs are social structures in which women are able to articulate and valorise their experiences thereby demonstrating social agency, and (2) that there is an interpretive community dimension to a reading group that unfolds over time. The readers recognise the importance of women "trusted others" in introducing them to reading, the importance of pushing personal tastes boundaries within safe spaces, and the benefit of the liberal humanist vision of learning outside of the perceived constraints of gender language, politics or power. The groups form and exist around shared genre tastes and interpretive preferences. The acquisition and negotiation of cultural competence works differently in the virtual clubs than in the face-to-face groups. Resistance is more evident in the face-toface groups than it is in a virtual club, where group membership is more fluid. This study finds rather than a kind of essentialist "sisterhood" that provides only minimal resistance to patriarchal structures, there is instead a creation of space for agency, and utopian mutual affirmation of badges of wisdom that is important to clubs in providing enrichment of daily lives. Oral and virtual culture can and does enhance literate culture, even if it does not conform to traditional conceptions of political mobilisation. The surprise of this study is that while it is useful to examine the book club as a genre of collective women\u27s action, it is also worthwhile to examine the "book club" type title, as a new form of social expression

Cultural Capital and Community in Contemporary City-wide Reading Programs

There are currently more than 500 city-wide reading projects in the US, and dozens in Canada and the UK. Through creative and traditional programming, such as canoe treks and book discussion groups, producers often use the One Book, One City model to “create community” through a selected text. This essay argues that instances of coming together to share reading experiences can be considered literary cultural fields as the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu conceived them. Readers seek cultural capital by participating in events because participation in book culture is considered a commendable and valuable activity. However, in order to participate, one needs to already have a certain amount of cultural literacy and capital. The essay offers an analysis of readers’ articulations of why they do and do not participate in city-wide book programming to help us better understand the motivations, pleasures and obstacles of membership in ephemeral reading communities.Il existe actuellement plus de 500 projets de lecture « urbains » aux États-Unis, et des dizaines au Canada et au Royaume-Uni. Par l’entremise d’une programmation tantôt traditionnelle, tantôt novatrice, s’articulant autour, par exemple, de sorties en canoë ou de groupes de discussion, les organisateurs se basent souvent sur le principe « un livre, une ville » pour créer une communauté autour d’un texte choisi. Cet article soutient que de se réunir pour partager des expériences de lecture appartient au champ culturel tel que le conçoit Bourdieu. Les lecteurs chercheraient en effet à acquérir du capital culturel en participant à diverses activités, puisque le fait de s’intéresser à la culture du livre est valorisé. Toutefois, avant de prendre part à celles-ci, il faut déjà posséder un certain bagage littéraire et culturel. L’article analyse les raisons pour lesquelles les lecteurs participent ou ne participent pas aux activités évoquées, afin de mieux saisir l’attrait et les obstacles liés au fait d’adhérer à une communauté de lecteurs éphémère

Beyond the Book project: quantitative data and collateral documents for Canada Reads

Quantitative data and collateral documents for the Canada Reads portion of the AHRC-funded project ‘Beyond the Book: Mass Reading Events and Contemporary Cultures of Reading in the UK, USA and Canada’, (2005-2008, grant number: 112166), a three-year interdisciplinary project. The study researched a selection of 21st-century reading events which employ mass media (TV and radio) and city-wide reading projects which employ the ‘One Book, One Community’ model. The primary aims of the transnational study were to investigate how mass reading events configure contemporary practices of reading and the cultural meanings of reading at local, national and international levels; to explain the uses and complexities of reading communities in different locations; to identify and analyse trans-national trends and differences in contemporary reading cultures and reading practices; and, to critique the popular function of literary fiction. The file contains the merged data collected from an online survey of readers across Canada. Convenience sampling was employed. The survey was advertised through adverts in newspapers, on-line advertisements; flyers and bookmarks distributed through public library systems and cultural centres; via email through the research team’s formal and informal social and professional networks. The data includes reading choice, habits and practices; participation in broadcast and community book programming; and, basic demographic information (anonymised). The statistical data is deposited in .sav .csv and .por formats. Collateral material includes: Codebook and the Survey. Content was created between ca. 2006-04-10 and 2008-08-25. Content was saved 2008-10-31. http://www.beyondthebookproject.org

Beyond the Book project: quantitative data and collateral documents for Richard & Judy’s Book Club

Quantitative data and collateral documents for the Richard and Judy’s Book Club portion of the AHRC-funded project ‘Beyond the Book: Mass Reading Events and Contemporary Cultures of Reading in the UK, USA and Canada’, (2005-2008, grant number: 112166), a three-year interdisciplinary project. The study researched a selection of 21st-century reading events which employ mass media (TV and radio) and city-wide reading projects which employ the ‘One Book, One Community’ model. The primary aims of the transnational study were to investigate how mass reading events configure contemporary practices of reading and the cultural meanings of reading at local, national and international levels; to explain the uses and complexities of reading communities in different locations; to identify and analyse trans-national trends and differences in contemporary reading cultures and reading practices; and, to critique the popular function of literary fiction. The file contains the merged data collected from an online surveys of readers across the UK. Convenience sampling was employed. The survey was advertised through adverts in newspapers, on-line advertisements; flyers and bookmarks distributed through public library systems and cultural centres; via email through the research team’s formal and informal social and professional networks. The data includes reading choice, habits and practices; participation in broadcast and community book programming; and, basic demographic information (anonymised). The statistical data is deposited in .sav .csv and .por formats. Collateral material includes: Codebook and the Survey. Content was created between ca. 2007-01-08 and 2008-08-25. Content was saved 2008-10-31. http://www.beyondthebookproject.org

Beyond the Book project website: Selected text

Selected text from project website for the Beyond the Book project,ca. 1 October 2005-25 August 2008, including information about the project and the project team, news items, blog posts, project team's reports on current reading, links, project funders, contact details, and information about the project conference. The AHRC-funded project Beyond the Book: Contemporary Cultures of Reading in the UK, US and Canada, a three-year, transnational project researching mass reading events and common book projects. http://www.beyondthebookproject.org