World of books and reading: An Anthropological Approach

Abstract

The anthropological approach allows to highlight a systemic vision of the world of books and reading practices, which is unavoidable after the UN Sustainable Development Goals and due to the capillary distribution of literary festivals and events, for a greater number of readers (both men and women). So-called ‘Literary Anthropology’ studies the connections between anthropology, reading practices – even beyond the history of the book – and reflexivity, sentiments and emotions attached to the ethnographic practice. This allows to illustrate a new field in which literary anthropology is articulated with different streams of investigation. In particular, the experiential ethnography of literary festivals, that are connected to cosmopolitanism in the European public debate, allows to deepen reception studies, reader-centric views and different reading practices, underlying the value of cultural diversity and hybrid life, which appear interesting challenges in contemporary societies.