The “Reading Turn”: Literary Studies in the Era of Digital Media, Sensory Experience, and AI

This study explores the evolution of reading practices in response to technological and cultural shifts, focusing on their implications for literary criticism and education. From the rise of “close reading” in the 20^th century to contemporary methods such as “surface reading,” “reader-response theory,” “distant reading,” and AI-driven analysis, the paper examines how reading has adapted to changing media environments. It hightlights key moments, including the 19th-century shift toward faster, fragmented reading shaped by the explosive increase in texts and the impact of visual and digital media on modern reading practices. The resarch emphasizes how the field of Anglo-American literary studies has actively responded to shifts in media by critically redefining the meaning and methodologies of reading. Ultimately, this study aims to encourage the development of methodologies and frameworks that balance the transformative potential of AI with a deeper understanding of reading’s evolving cultural significance.