This thesis proposes the notion of reading health as a bridge between scholarly research in reading on one hand and policy on the other. Examining existing research and current dilemmas that...Show moreThis thesis proposes the notion of reading health as a bridge between scholarly research in reading on one hand and policy on the other. Examining existing research and current dilemmas that pertain to reading studies, the author suggests a set of principles and guidelines for the operationalisation of the notion on a transnational level that could aid policy-makers in making use of relevant research to better inform measures aimed at improving the state of reading in society.Show less
This thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based...Show moreThis thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based on the female customers that came to Luchtmans, an academic bookshop in Leiden, and thus the main source of this study is the extensive archive that the firm has left behind. At the start of the eighteenth century, a wealthy mother primarily visited the shop to purchase school books for her young children. However, as the century progressed, an increasing number of unmarried women came to buy newspapers and novels, as they had more freedom to pursue their own interests. Although these women were certainly not representative of the general female population in Leiden, an interesting shift presented itself when comparing women from two time periods in the eighteenth century.Show less
