Imagined readers and hospitable texts: Global youths connect online | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Glynda Hull, Amy Stornaiuolo, Laura Sterponi

Year of publication: 2013

Keywords: New textuality, Digital age, Adolescents, Projected readers, Authorship, Interpretive diversity, Reflexivity, Ethics of literacy

Methodology/Sample: Design research/35 students

Reference: Hull, G. A., Stornaiuolo, A., & Sterponi, L. (2013). Imagined readers and hospitable texts: Global youth connect online. In Theoretical models and processes of reading (pp. 1208-1240). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284273038_Imagined_Readers_and_Hospitable_Texts_Global_Youths_Connect_Online

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore the new textuality of a digital and global age by examining how adolescent youths around the world engaged in one kind of reading practice—reading an audience—whereby they imagined projected readers who were potentially different from themselves geographically, culturally, linguistically, and ideologically. Our larger interest is in dimensions of authorship that entail sensitivity to the range of possible interpretations and responses to one’s texts, as well as reflexive and hospitable dispositions toward a distant readership. In effect, we wish to explore the ethics of literate practice in a global world.

> Summary

The paper explores how young people engage in hospitable semiotic practices across digital platforms .
It emphasizes the importance of open texts that invite diverse interpretations and reader participation .
Bhakti exemplifies a welcoming persona, sharing personal struggles to foster connections .
The research highlights the ethical obligation to “welcome the stranger” in digital communication .
Overall, it addresses the complexities of communication in a globalized, interconnected world .

> Problem statement

The paper discusses the challenges young people face in communicating effectively across digital platforms, requiring flexible meaning-making skills .
Participants often struggled with misunderstandings and miscommunications in their online interactions, as seen with Jorell and Meryem .
The need for young individuals to scaffold conversations and build trust through shared information is highlighted .
The paper emphasizes the importance of creating welcoming online personas to facilitate better communication among peers .

> Methods used

The study employed qualitative analysis using Atlas TI to develop codes for tracing participation across spaces and texts over time .
It analyzed creative artifacts, interaction patterns, and interviews to understand youths’ engagement on and offline .
The research focused on how young people created hospitable texts that welcome diverse readers .
A multimodal, social semiotic approach was utilized to explore ethical dimensions of young people’s semiotic work .
The study examined the symbolic and iconic resonance in youths’ communication strategies .
It involved in-depth analysis of the most-viewed profiles to generate insights about composing open texts .
The research emphasized the importance of understanding diverse meaning-making trajectories in interconnected contexts .
The abstract highlights the need for flexible meaning-making across various textual forms in a global context .

> Practical implications

The paper highlights the importance of responsive communication strategies among young people in digital interactions .
It emphasizes the need for young individuals to develop new communicative competencies through open texts .
Meryem’s approach illustrates how sharing personal information can foster trust and engagement in online conversations .
The findings suggest that creating a hospitable communicative environment encourages ongoing dialogue and relationship building .
The research underscores the necessity of understanding diverse cultural contexts in global digital communication .