The research area “Access to literature in the digital age as an art ethics problem” deals with two topics.
Easier access to literature in the digital age
The area “Facilitated access to literature in the digital age” examines the consequences of digital change for access to literature in the context of the concept of literature, canon formation, the book market, copyright, and the human right to cultural participation. Based on the sometimes heated debate about simplified literary classics and the boom in simplifications through easy and plain language, the phenomenon of simplified literature is first classified in terms of literary history and then reflected upon from the perspective of literary theory and philosophy of art. From an access ethics perspective, the opportunities and challenges of such simplified access to literature are discussed, particularly with regard to AI-supported translations. The project specifically examines the problem that contemporary German literature often remains largely inaccessible to people with reading difficulties. It first highlights the conflict between the human right to cultural participation of people with reading difficulties and the copyrights of authors, and then explores possible solutions to this conflict from an access ethics perspective.
Gatekeeping – Actors, Media, and Norms of Access to Literary Works
The area “Gatekeeping – Actors, Media, and Norms of Access to Literary Works” examines the interplay between gatekeepers, media, and publication conditions for literary works, as well as the consequences for the (in)accessibility of literature. With regard to exemplary access conflicts, the project analyzes which (economic, aesthetic, political, or personal) interests and action-guiding norms can be identified on the part of both such gatekeepers and their opponents. In order to identify the consequences of digital change for gatekeeping, the project first examines the gatekeepers of analog literary practice using the example of Uwe Johnson’s debut novel Ingrid Babendererde. Reifeprüfung 1953 (1985), which was published posthumously, before finally examining – in a comparative manner – new actors and media in digital literary practice, for example, using self-publishing platforms.
Lectures
- “‘Kulturfrevel’ oder kulturelle Teilhabe? Vereinfachter Zugang zu Literatur als kunstethisches Problem” on 28 October 2024
Publications
- Kater, Thomas (2025): „‚Kulturfrevel‘ oder kulturelle Teilhabe?“. Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41245-025-00274-z
Podcast
- „Literatur vereinfachen – mit KI? Digitalität und kulturelle Teilhabe“ (“Simplifying literature – with AI? Digitality and cultural participation.”) | „Digitalgespräch“ of the Centre Responsible Digitality (ZEVEDI) at the Technical University of Darmstadt (13 May 2025)