New tastemakers and Australia's post-digital literary culture

This project examines how engagements with digital media and platforms have changed the ways in which Australian literature is produced, distributed and consumed.

Person in a bookshop


The project aims to investigate the impact of digital technologies on patterns of tastemaking in Australian literary culture. It examines how engagements with digital media and platforms such as ebooks, online forums, blogs and social media have changed the ways in which Australian literature is produced, distributed and consumed, and addresses the question of what this means for the future of Australian literature. The project’s outcomes will contribute to understanding the impact of digital practices on Australian literary culture, and support the continued development and cultural significance of Australia’s book industry in a globalised market for literature.

Impact

This project extends knowledge of Australian culture and society by charting how digital media has transformed the reading, reception and publishing of Australian literature. It will help the publishing industry and other stakeholders respond to the challenges posed by this new economic and technological environment, and will inform cultural policy. It will also contribute to the continuing debate about the significance of Australian literature in the global cultural economy.

Project details

Sponsors

ARC Discovery Project funding commencement: 2017 (active)

Project team

Associate Professor Mark Davis, University of Melbourne
Dr Elizabeth Driscoll, University of Melbourne
Dr Sybil Nolan, University of Melbourne
Dr Emmett Stinson, Deakin University

Contact

Associate Professor Mark Davis