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2024 (English)In: Poetics, ISSN 0304-422X, E-ISSN 1872-7514, Vol. 105, article id 101912Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
This article advances understanding about book reading as a sociocultural phenomenon in the 2020s. We make a contribution to the cultural sociology of reading by investigating Finnish self-identified book readers by analysing the significance of sociodemographic variables (gender, education, age, and place of residence) in terms of reading activity and access to books. Our study is placed in the context of Finnish reading culture that is characterised by a particular appreciation of reading and measures promoting equal access to culture. Based on an online survey of 955 respondents conducted in 2021, our statistical analyses show that the social stratification of book reading activity that is prominent in population level does not recur within the specific group of people who identify themselves as readers. Among Finnish self-identified book readers, education, gender, and place of residence do not induce significant differences in reading activity. Our analysis that foregrounds inclination instead of quantity as a criterion for readers sheds light on reader equality from a different direction than previous research into nationwide reading habits or descriptive studies on avid readers.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2024
Keywords
Book readers, Cultural sociology, Reading practices, Reading culture, Self-identified readers, Reading
National Category
Educational Sciences Languages and Literature
Research subject
Mathematics and Science Education
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-107776 (URN)10.1016/j.poetic.2024.101912 (DOI)001325377400001 ()2-s2.0-85196294976 (Scopus ID)
Note
Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-06-27 (joosat);
Full text license: CC BY 4.0;
Funder: Finnish Cultural Foundation (00210378);
2024-06-242024-06-242024-11-20Bibliographically approved