lesenden

Lesenden is a term used in German-language scholarship to describe a community of readers who actively engage with texts across media, rather than passively consuming them. The word is a plural nominalization of the participle form of the noun Leser and is used to denote readers who participate in interpretation, discussion, and dissemination of texts.

Origins and usage: The concept gained traction with the rise of digital reading and social annotation platforms in the early 21st century. In scholarly writing, Lesenden is employed to distinguish active, collaborative reading practices from traditional, solitary reading.

Characteristics: Lesenden typically practice annotation, marginalia, and dialogue around texts, share reading notes through online forums or social platforms, assemble collective interpretations, and cross-reference across print and digital editions. They may participate in organized reading groups, open educational resources, or multimedia readings.

Impact and challenges: The Lesenden mobilities affect publishing, libraries, and education by promoting open access, discoverability, and reader-centered design. Critics argue about privacy concerns, data collection in reading platforms, digital divide and potential for information bubbles, and whether the term can gloss over diverse reading practices.

See also: digital humanities, reader-response theory, participatory culture, social reading platforms such as Hypothes.is and Perusall.