CC BY
43
УДК 02
V. Askarova
Doctor of Philological Sciences, Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts E-mail: viovita@yandex.ru
A COLLECTIVE MONOGRAPH “READING. 21 CENTURY”
AS A REFLECTION OF THE CURRENT STATE OF THE SCIENCE OF READING
Abstract. This publication is a review on a collective monograph “Reading. 21 century” which considers such pressing problems as leading theories of reading, its models and modifications, book’s future, readers’ competence, reading fashion, infrastructure of reading’s support and development, etc. The authors of this review are N. Smetannikova, IU. Melenteva, M. Cherniak, T. Galaktionova, T. Rubanova and many other famous experts in the field of reading.
Keywords: reading, research, future books, best-seller, reader mode, literary criticism
For citing: Askarova V. 2015. A collective monograph “Reading. 21 century” as a reflection of the current state of the science of reading. Herald of the Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts. № 4 (44): 167-171.
Аннотация. Данная публикация представляет собой рецензию на коллективную монографию «Чтение. XXI век», в которой рассматриваются такие актуальные проблемы, как ведущие теории чтения, его модели и модификации, будущее книги, читательская компетентность, читательская мода, состояние инфраструктуры поддержки и развития чтения и др. В качестве авторов выступили Н. Н. Сметанникова, Ю. П. Мелентьева, М. А. Черняк, Т. Г. Галактионова. Т. Д. Рубанова и другие известные специалисты в области чтения.
Ключевые слова: чтение, исследование, будущее книги, бестселлер, мода, литературная критика Для цитирования: Askarova V. A collective monograph “Reading. 21 century” as a reflection of the current state of the science of reading [Аскарова, В. Я. Коллективная монография «Чтение. XXI век» как отражение современного состояния науки о чтении] / V. Askarova //Вестник Челябинской государственной академии культуры и искусств. - 2015. - № 4 (44). - С. 167-171. (На англ. яз.).
Monograph “Reading. 21 century” published in 2014 at the Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts fully characterizes the science of reading modern state [1].
The idea of the monograph reflects the intention to collect under one edition of the book all the works that represent reading in fully-scoped and multi-aspect ways, considering it from the positions of different sciences. The authors aimed to comprehend radical changes in reading activities. Metamorphoses happening before our eyes are so sweeping and radical that science can hardly interpret them; that is why it is very important to follow the initiation of new facts awareness (views, opinions, ideas and evaluations), methodological approaches, and methodological decisions, reading practices transformation, its development and support. The problem to keep within the bounds of speculations in the format of “what
it was - what it has become” with an effort to point-out the cause-and-effect relations’ changes, taking place in the reading theory and practice, in the activity system of its stimulation and improvement has also been set in the book.
Thus, what gaps have been filled up and how well do the publications reflect the changes in readership knowledge system?
The monograph opens with the basic theoretical works presented in the “Methodological approaches to study reading”.
Reinterpretation of processes happening in the sphere of reading, development of its screen format require to review earlier formed methodological approaches to its scientific analysis and to include achievements of foreign groundworks and Russian scientists traditional views to theoretical arsenal of readership studies as well as to include views of reading diversity with different models and
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modifications to the system scientific views and opinions; all this can be found in the articles by
N. Smetannikova, M. Zagidullina, IU. Melenteva. It’s worth-while mentioning as the most substantial work the article by N. Smetannikova entitled as “Leading foreign reading theories in 21 century and their embodiment in methodology and training techniques” where the author considers different theories such as new-behaviourism, cognitive, constructivism, theory of readers’ response, holistic theory, literacy theory in the context of reading roles and mission imagination evolution. These notions are very important for theorists trying to create a system of integral views on reading which have been widely represented in different sources and without serious grounds promise to considerably increase both the speed and the quality of reading.
M. Zagidullina in her article “Modern readership and reading science in western Social Studies and problems of the reading studies in Russian science of 21 century” characterizes basic approaches to reading and its studies connected with the historical changes of epochs and prevailing in the society opinions on its role in the life of social medium. Pragmatics and reading technologies are analyzed in the context of different views on the reading activity and its content which are most widely spread among Russian and foreign scientists. Comparative analysis results can be very useful for reconsideration of established views on the characteristics of reading, main tendencies of its development in the context of constantly changing communicational behavior, review of old educational technologies of different reading practices teaching and approaches to empiric materials collection and analysis.
The article “Reading: models and modifications” written by IU. Melenteva considers the reading’s fundamental models evolution: sacral, liberal, university, folk (mass); each of them reflecting different understanding of the essence of reading. As a particular case of model’s implementation there appear their modifications such as scientific, training, self-educational, business, pragmatic, profes-
sional, entertaining, agitation, therapeutic, family, existential, ordinary reading. The above mentioned models and modifications disclose the understanding of complex and many-aspect characters of reading and its various functions.
To fully understand modern processes happening in the sphere of reading it is necessary to reveal quite contradictory experience of public conscience regarding it. Chapter “Antinomies and metamorphoses of reading in modern world” analyzes the system of imagination characterizing the state of affairs in the reading sphere.
A young culturologist I. Tuzovskii in his article “Antinomies of reading, literacy and education in the informational society” rejects simplified, dichotomy view and arrives at the conclusion of antinomianism of modern reflections concerning reading activity and presence of various attitudes toward reading, literacy and education in modern society. The most obvious antinomies for modern quasi informational society the scientist considers antinomies of expectations, demands, humanism and book culture dehumanization, neoluddism and social reflection.
A. Dydrov has made an effort to point out positions connected with reading and to understand its role in a society. In his article “Book’s future in the dystopia of utopia: from popularization to committing to the flames” the author appeals to different discourses of utopia and dystopia (antiutopia) which gives extensive materials for reflection regarding books and reading. He uses works by T. More, T. Campanella, I. Efremov, R. Bradbury, A. Huxley, and G. Orwell as literary materials. He has made conclusions on fruitfulness of appeals to dystopia and utopia for understanding book and reading as different communities’ media and history cultural code.
Two works presented in the collective monograph are of exclusively sociological character. N. Stefanovskaia known in professional circles as the author of the remarkable book “Existential grounds of reading”, in her article “Readership in 21 century: stratification characteristics (regional research experience)” shows the results of a regional
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sociological research carried out in the Tambov region. It is connected with the study of readership’s stratification processes with not only traditional social-economic criteria but also indicators connected with cultural and informational potential of personality, its attitude to information and ways of getting it which of particular importance in the epoch of transition to “electronic” reading.
The article “Tendencies and content of teenagers reading: possibility of correction” by V. Chudinova contains rich empirical material. The author studies Moscow teenagers reading under the circumstances of sharp changes in the sphere of media consumption, “attacks” of new computing technologies, dissemination of new means and devices for understanding of a text. The article also reflects cultural rupture between generations in understanding and perception of literary works, which tasks to renew traditional criteria of choosing books for children and teenagers.
Chapter “Mass-like phenomena in the field of reading” discloses the issues of reading and reading behavior mainly from the social-pedagogical positions. Since the times of N. Ru-bakin when social psychology of reading was formed on psychology and sociology crossing, research interest to the problems of 70-80s in 21 century (problem of reading leadership, readers’ micro-groups formation, influence of inter-personal communication mechanisms on reading) has practically died away; at present this scientific direction has been presented mainly in the studies of reading fashion issues. The article “Diversity of fashion phenomenon manifestations in reading: evolution of presentations and scientific approaches” reveals the historical angle of the marked phenomenon and shows its relationship with a wide spectrum of public life factors and processes. The author reveals the possibilities of its use for the purpose of reading activity in modern historic-cultural terms stimulation on the basis of understanding the peculiarities of fashion in different social environment channels and mechanisms spreading.
In her article “Best-selling book institution: formation phenomenon, world and domestic de-
velopment tendencies” T. Rubanova names as the most important factors determining its modern existence the appearance of new subjects of library science, self-published best-selling books, marketing policy development, formation of electronic content new distribution models. The author draws a valid conclusion of best-selling book institution dependence on rapid introduction of informational-communicative technologies into different spheres of public life.
Further studies of mass-like phenomena in reading were carried out by M. Cherniak in her article “Literature centrism of modern mass literature: to the issue of readership competence formation” in which she regards modern literature as a universal social-cultural environment and analyses its functioning peculiarities under the literature-centrism loss circumstances; paying much attention to the ways it mutates and adapts to social transformations, new cultural practices, technological innovations, political and ideological changes, thus creating primitive world’s picture and conforming to the readers’ undemanding tastes. “Speculating for the decline” a reader dictates corresponding demands to the book market providing thereby simplified literature reproduction taking far away from the objective reality deep meanings understanding.
Materials of chapter entitled as “Reading as an educational strategy and resource of person’s growth” reflect obvious successes of pedagogic of reading and consider mainly the problems of reading in the field of education. In her article “Reading in educational context and functional literacy development” V. Ermolenko considers functional literacy as the integration education with constantly changing content. The author determines general steps of forming its conceptual “nucleus” and shows the importance of functional reading for the formation of functional literacy at the present stage. It needs searching skills development along with information gathering and evaluating, computer literacy and text culture, abilities to understand the text, to analyze it and to express his thoughts orally or in the written form.
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The work by I. Mazaeva and A. Ananeva entitled “Skills of professional reading in the content of higher professional education” points out the importance of the determined competences. On the ground of professional reading research of future political scientists in MGIMO (goals, text frames, texts skills, motive-value basis have been revealed) the authors draw a conclusion of their required professionally orientated reading teaching as the means and the way of getting and gathering of information and scientific knowledge as a precondition of business and personal development and a part of competent specialist.
T. Galaktionova and E. Romanicheva in their articles emphasize mainly social-pedagogical essence of reading, reaching new educational result by means of reading. T. Galaktionova in her article “Culture of reading as a content of interdisciplinary programme in basic school” describes the experience of working out an interdisciplinary programme of “Grounds of semantic reading and work with a text”. Here the author speaks about text activity as one of basic educational technologies using differentiated age approach to form schoolchildren readership competence.
The article “Reading in education: possible Answers to the challenges of 21 century” by E. Romanicheva studies the development of reading in educational activity in accordance with newly adopted Federal State Educational Standards. Reading is considered by the author as intellectual practice aimed at upbringing and education of reader, his socialization. The task of teaching reading as a work with information on the grounds of developing teaching strategies is quite new for teaching. The author shows teaching possibilities of such methods as work with keywords strategy, text compression strategy, graph-schemes modeling, reading with questions, reading with taking notes etc.
V. Pugach and N. Terenteva study the possibilities of creating conditions for developmental and training reading at the literature lessons at school. Thus V. Pugach in his article “Analytical reading arrangement in educational process aiming at readers’ orientations field widening” characterizes ana-
lytical mastering of a literary text as an example cultural environment mastering and teen-aged readers’ orientations field widening. Teaching credo of the author rejects “scholastic analysis” of a literary work implying the “detailed analysis” of literary technique; it strives to make a pupil feel co-participant and provoking him to an utmost possible response.
N. Terenteva in her publication entitled “Upbringing as modernization vector in the system of literary education” based on her doctoral thesis reveals axiological potential of literature during the process of literary education. Evaluation component in the definition of education marks the transition from knowledge-centrist, rational-pragmatic pedagogy to evaluation-notional one directed at world-outlook formation. The author means to say about understanding product while studying the course of literature, forming pupil’s own moral image.
The fifth part of the monograph entitled “Infrastructure of reading’s support and development” reflects modern institutes of book business functioning problematic character which so typical at present. Inclination of many libraries towards new changes has become a kind of ideology for them; but it is also the means to prove their own demand and desire for adaptation to expectations of real and possible readers. A new image of library is being created. For example, L. Sokolskaia in her article “Compromise between a canon and a challenge as a modern library alternative” creates a new library image. Modern library can be different; it must have the oases of silence and areas of strict order.
The article “Formation of commercial interaction with readers in Russia: main stages” written by V. Askarova is devoted to the historical aspect of reader’s positioning and his role and place in the book process. Russian ancient tradition of respectful attitude to books and enlightenment, and mistrustful and condemnatory attitude to everything connected with its exclusively commercial component. Modern stage is characterized by the loss of humanist traditions of Russian book personalities, by a conflict of interests of book process participants. All this proves the necessity to change professional consciousness of book business specialists.
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One of the reading’s support and development infrastructure functions is navigation in literary stream which is of peculiar importance regarding books for young generation of readers. Modern criticism of children’s literature is characterized by surface and distractive of materials and substitution analytics by ordered reviewing what is paid much attention by T. Bobina in her
article “Criticism and examination of literature for children and teenagers as an instrument of support and development of reading”.
Despite multiplicity of the given materials and their perspectives differences, the authors try to show as fully as possible the peculiarity of the present moment, 21 century novelty into reading, its research, development and support.
1. Chtenie. XXI vek [Reading. 21 century]. 2014. Askarova V., scientific ed.-comp. Chelyabinsk. The Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts. 309 p.
Received 14.08.2015
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