Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course examines the mechanisms that contribute to making the book an eminently social object, counter to the traditional conception of reading as a strictly solitary practice. The study is structured around three major strands, conceived as complementary and articulated both as historical and typological forms and as situated cultural practices.
The first strand focuses on book fairs and festivals. These events are considered from a dual historical and analytical perspective: tracing their functions (professional, commercial, symbolic), describing their multiple configurations (local or international, general or specialized by genre or theme), and examining their organizational models. Particular attention is given to the Brussels Book Fair, whose visit by students provides a concrete field for observation and analysis.
The second strand looks at activities organized in bookshops, libraries, and cultural centers. These range from simple rituals (book signings, author encounters) to more elaborate devices, such as thematic fairs or mini-festivals. Emphasis is placed on their practical implementation: organizational choices, funding models, issues of mediation and recommendation, as well as their contribution to the promotion of editorial catalogues.
The third strand focuses on practices oriented toward participant experience. These include reading clubs, writing workshops, and bibliotherapy initiatives, developed by public institutions, associations, or private companies. Such initiatives shift the traditional focus of editorial promotion toward the social and symbolic uses of books, whether related to well-being, inclusion, professionalization, or the building of reading communities.
In each of these three strands, the course combines factual description, historical contextualization, and critical analysis, with the aim of understanding how the book (beyond its printed form) takes shape in collective spaces and becomes a medium for shared experiences.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- identify and characterize the main types of book-related events;
- analyze their social, cultural, and economic functions within historical and institutional frameworks;
- design and evaluate an event-based device considering key parameters (audiences, aims, resources, funding, partners, mediation);
- argue critically about contemporary transformations in book mediation practices.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
- Analytical lectures (frameworks, issues, typologies).
- Study and discussion of articles and documents (reading portfolio).
- Field visit to the Brussels Book Fair (guided observation, analytical debrief).
- Guided discussions and collective synthesis.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Reading portfolio (articles and documents provided). Additional readings may be suggested for further study.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Further information:
On-campus oral exam with three components:
1) Pre-submitted synthesizing/perspective diagram (basis for personal reflection and oral discussion);
2) Question on one article from the reading portfolio (analysis, contextualization, critique);
3) Question on the course (concepts, issues, perspectives).
Criteria: accuracy and precision of knowledge; ability to synthesize and analyze; clarity of oral argumentation; relevance in mobilizing readings and course content.
Use of artificial intelligence
- During the oral exam: AI use is prohibited.
- For the preparatory diagram: limited, declared use may be tolerated (e.g., linguistic or layout assistance). Any use must be explicitly disclosed in a brief note (tool, type of assistance, critical appraisal). The diagram is assessed together with the oral explanation; only genuine personal understanding will suffice.
- For the reading-portfolio question: assessment targets actual reading and critical engagement with a specific text; AI cannot substitute this work.
- Integrity: omission or concealment of AI use constitutes a breach of academic integrity.
Work placement(s)
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Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
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Contacts
Tanguy Habrand
tanguy.habrand@uliege.be
Association of one or more MOOCs
There is no MOOC associated with this course.