Promoting reading 1
has achieved wider acceptance. The gap between th
e reading habits of boys and girls has been explained by the idea that we are socialised into different reading roles. For example, the reading habits of boys have been understood as the product of social pressures on boys to fit in with masculine identities, in combination with stereotypical conceptions of reading as a “feminine” occupation. Researchers have used the term culture of resistance in describing boys’ reluctance to read. The lack of male reading role models is a common theme in research about boys’ and girls’ reading, in particular in academic journal articles that deal with male reading ability. The need for male role models also tends to come up for discussion as soon as boys’ reading habits are addressed. For example, research that has studied how boys and girls are socialised into a reader identity has provided the impetus for campaigns in which sports stars have acted as reading role models. That boys choosing not to read can be explained by social norms regarding masculinity is also the basis of a Swedish government decision to invest in initiatives to do with sport and reading. On the whole, male reading role models have become an important aspect of reading promotion activities today. Some researchers have argued that the source of the problem with boys’ reading habits is a “feminisation” of reading that mothers and a female-dominated preschool and compulsory school have contributed to. It has been argued that women convey assumptions about the purpose and context of reading, the choice of texts and ways to assimilate them which function poorly and, in the worst case, are an actual deterrent for boys. It has also been asserted that the uneven distribution of men and women within the library profession has had a negative influence on boys’ reading. Some have maintained that the genres preferred by boys have been marginalised as a result of the “feminisation” of literature reading within the library and its activities. However, it has also been pointed out that the library can be made into a welcoming and inviting place for boys by appealing more to their wants and needs. To reduce the reading gap between boys and girls, one needs to base activities on books that boys prefer to read. The issue of how to get young boys to read has higher priority than the issue of what they read. According to many studies, boys tend to prefer books with non-fiction content to a higher degree than girls. Furthermore, boys tend to be attracted to a certain type of fiction. Humour, sports, science fiction and fantasy are among the most common preferences when it comes to boys’ reading, and for this reason programmes based on these genres have been advocated. To reach young boys as a target group, different types of outreach activities are recommended, with the aim of taking the library to where boys congregate, and also to get men to visit the library. For example, it has been recommended that fathers should be encouraged to participate in the library’s reading aloud sessions for children. The role model idea is central to reading promotion projects and campaigns that specifically target fathers. Concerning reading role models in the inner family circle, there are several projects and campaigns designed to encourage and support fathers, or fathers-to-be, to act as reading role models for their children, often with the stated aim of influencing negative attitudes to reading among boys. The fourth chapter of this book gives examples of these kinds of programmes and projects carried out in collabo104