Serial Readers United
Independent Bookstore Cultures in Kuwait
In: Middle East Journal of Culture and CommunicationSearch for other papers by Ildiko Kaposi in
Current site
Google Scholar
Search for other papers by Shahd Al-Shammari in
Current site
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Abstract
Through an exploration of Kuwait’s independent bookstores, the article challenges the reputation of Gulf Arab monarchies as generally lacking a reading culture. It treats independent bookstores as urban spaces designed to enable participation in the practices and rituals of reading books and as indicators of reading microcultures in the country. Run by readers and writers, independent bookstores fill a gap in the cultural landscape in order to cultivate highbrow readership. They nurture emerging communities of readers, creating intimate spaces that blur the boundaries of public and private. They balance art and commerce to assume roles as arbiters of taste, community centers, and literary-cultural societies. Aided by social media, their activities spill over into the wider community and expand beyond the borders of Kuwait, attesting to the resilience of historical patterns of the Arab world of letters and the emergence of the Gulf as a new center in the circuit.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1053 | 148 | 14 |
| Full Text Views | 67 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 147 | 7 | 0 |
Serial Readers United
Independent Bookstore Cultures in Kuwait
In: Middle East Journal of Culture and CommunicationSearch for other papers by Ildiko Kaposi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Shahd Al-Shammari in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Through an exploration of Kuwait’s independent bookstores, the article challenges the reputation of Gulf Arab monarchies as generally lacking a reading culture. It treats independent bookstores as urban spaces designed to enable participation in the practices and rituals of reading books and as indicators of reading microcultures in the country. Run by readers and writers, independent bookstores fill a gap in the cultural landscape in order to cultivate highbrow readership. They nurture emerging communities of readers, creating intimate spaces that blur the boundaries of public and private. They balance art and commerce to assume roles as arbiters of taste, community centers, and literary-cultural societies. Aided by social media, their activities spill over into the wider community and expand beyond the borders of Kuwait, attesting to the resilience of historical patterns of the Arab world of letters and the emergence of the Gulf as a new center in the circuit.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1053 | 148 | 14 |
| Full Text Views | 67 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 147 | 7 | 0 |
