Abstract

In all literate societies, the skill of reading is of pivotal importance. It regulates the ability to participate in societal activities and may trigger social exclusion. Research into reading is carried out by various disciplines—among them literary studies, linguistics, book science, neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Considering the history of reading, a new chapter was opened at the beginning of the twenty-first century by digitization, which has led to considerable changes in reading habits at a textual, a distribution and a participatory level. The technological advances have, however, also brought along specific views, assessments and predictions, such as the ‘end of reading’, which in many cases result in an undifferentiated speculation on the future of this central skill.