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Lecturer(s)
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Polách Vladimír, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Flajšarová Pavlína, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Week 1: P1: A brief introduction to book studies: definitions, scope, history; types of bibliography; S1: Information on graduation requirements and independent research; Week 2: P2: Darnton: What is the history of books? (the communicative sphere of books) S2: Darnton?s model and its subsequent updates Week 3: P3: The book as a subject of study; fundamental approaches and questions regarding the definition of the book S3: The relationship between form and function; J. McGann: *Textual Condition*; bibliographic and linguistic codes Week 4: P4: McLuhan?s *The Gutenberg Galaxy* S4: E. Eisenstein: *The Printing Press as an Agent of Change* Reading 1: McLuhan: *The Printed Word: The Architect of Nationalism* Week 5: P5: Christine Haynes: *Rethinking Genius in the Study of Authorship* S5: Technological determinism of authorship: from the automaton to the content creator Week 6: P6: Investigating Readership: Methods, Sources, Insights S6: Reader Revolutions and Our Understanding of Reading Reading 2: Darnton: Readers Respond to Rousseau Week 7: P7: Janice Radway and the BOTM Club S7: Reading as a guilty pleasure: Radway and the romance novel Week 8: P: Chartier: Reading as appropriation S: Reading 3: de Certeau: Reading as poaching Week 9: P9: Issues in the study of the publishing field S9: The tension between cultural and economic capital; outsourcing Week 10: Transformations in book publishing in the 21st century P10: One ring to rule them all: the Amazon case study S10: Amazon?s publishing and self-publishing tools Week 11: The life and death of books P: Principles of archiving and principles of obsolescence S: Books and war: a case study Week 12 is set aside for the final assessment and credit tests, or other activities as appropriate. "P" stands for "Prednaska", i.e. "Lecture" (45 minutes, non obligatory); "S" is for a seminar (90 minutes).
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Group work
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive theoretical and methodological framework for the field of Book Studies and the history of book culture. The course views the book not merely as a literary or aesthetic entity, but above all as a complex media artefact and a socio-technical system. The course introduces students to key theoretical concepts in the history of the book (R. Darnton?s ?communication circle?, M. McLuhan and E. Eisenstein?s concept of the printing revolution, and J. McGann?s material theory of text) and to historical and contemporary transformations in authorship, readership and the publishing market. Particular emphasis is placed on developing the ability to critically reflect on technological determinism, analysing the material form of text (bibliographic versus linguistic code), and understanding the current transformations of the book sector in the 21st century (digitisation, platformisation, the Amazon model).
* Applies theoretical concepts from book studies to the independent analysis of specific historical and contemporary book artefacts and media phenomena. * Assesses the impact of technological developments on changes in reading practices, authorship principles and publishing strategies from a historical perspective. * Applies an interdisciplinary approach (combining literary studies, history, sociology and media studies) when addressing complex issues relating to book culture. * Explains the economic and cultural mechanisms of the publishing sector.
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Prerequisites
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An introduction to the history of Czech and world literature.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Seminar Work, Written exam
- Completion of an individual assignment (presentation of a specialist text, analysis of a specialist term or issue); where there are a large number of course participants, assignments are carried out in groups - a maximum of two absences from the seminar - independent work with texts, ability to interpret and discuss (may be assessed in writing) - final writen test (S)
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Recommended literature
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DARNTON, Robert. Velký masakr koček a jiné epizody z francouzské kulturní historie. Praha: Argo, 2013.
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HOWSAM, Leslie. Old Books and New Histories. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 2006.
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MANGUEL, Alberto. Dějiny čtení. Přeložil A. G. BRAUN. Brno: Host, 2007.
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PIPER, Andrew. Book Was There: Reading in Electronic Times. 2012.
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ROBINSON, Steven. The Book in Society: An Introduction to Book History. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2014.
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ŠMEJKALOVÁ, Jiřina a POŘÍZKOVÁ, Lenka. Co jsou to dějiny knihy? Praha: Academia 2022.
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ŠMEJKALOVÁ, Jiřina. Kniha: k sociologickému dějepisu písemné kultury. Brno: Host, 2000.
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TRÁVNÍČEK, Jiří. Kulturní vetřelec: dějiny čtení ? kalendárium. Brno: Host, 2020.
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