Research Methods in Literary Reception Studies
Published on 20. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-94-6270-522-7 (ISBN)
Description
Turning reading into research: Researching literature through its reception.
First methods-focused handbook in the field
Strongly practical and suitable for advanced teaching
Bridging qualitative and quantitative research
For advanced students and early-career researchers
Research Methods in Literary Reception Studies is the first handbook to offer a systematic, hands-on guide to the study of literary reception. It shows how scholars can examine readers' responses to literature, as well as how texts are evaluated, discussed, rewarded, and circulated across social and institutional settings. By combining empirical, sociological, digital, and text-focused approaches, the book offers clear guidance on research design, data collection, and analysis. Each chapter offers step-by-step methodological instructions and illustrates these through a concrete case study. Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches, and written for advanced students and researchers, this handbook provides a comprehensive methodological toolbox for studying literature as a cultural practice.
First methods-focused handbook in the field
Strongly practical and suitable for advanced teaching
Bridging qualitative and quantitative research
For advanced students and early-career researchers
Research Methods in Literary Reception Studies is the first handbook to offer a systematic, hands-on guide to the study of literary reception. It shows how scholars can examine readers' responses to literature, as well as how texts are evaluated, discussed, rewarded, and circulated across social and institutional settings. By combining empirical, sociological, digital, and text-focused approaches, the book offers clear guidance on research design, data collection, and analysis. Each chapter offers step-by-step methodological instructions and illustrates these through a concrete case study. Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches, and written for advanced students and researchers, this handbook provides a comprehensive methodological toolbox for studying literature as a cultural practice.
Reviews / Votes
Research Methodologies in Literary Reception Studies is a timely contribution that fills a clear gap by offering a systematic and methodologically explicit overview of approaches to literary reception research. Its organisation into four complementary methodological clusters, combined with a strong interdisciplinary scope, makes it both conceptually coherent and highly accessible to researchers at different career stages. The volume stands out for its balanced integration of qualitative, quantitative, and digital methods, and for its consistent critical reflection on methodological affordances, limitations, and combinations. It will serve as an indispensable resource for both research and teaching, stimulating further methodological awareness and innovation in literary reception studies. - Jack McMartin, KU Leuven Research Methods in Literary Reception Studies offers a thorough overview of the field. Its extensive range and focus on detail are unparallelled, setting new standards for teaching and research in methodology. This will be the go-to book for students and researchers interested in literary reception studies for years to come. - Ingo Berensmeyer, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet MuenchenMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Leuven
Belgium
Target group
US School Grade: College Graduate Student and over
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
40 Halftones, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
416 gr
ISBN-13
978-94-6270-522-7 (9789462705227)
DOI
10.11116/9789461667656
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Jeroen Dera is Associate Professor of Dutch Literature at Radboud University.
Anne Oerlemans works as a publisher and obtained her PhD from Radboud University in 2026.
Frederik Van Dam is Assistant Professor of European Literature at Radboud University.
Anne Oerlemans works as a publisher and obtained her PhD from Radboud University in 2026.
Frederik Van Dam is Assistant Professor of European Literature at Radboud University.
Content
Chapter 1. Introduction
Jeroen Dera, Anne Oerlemans and Frederik Van Dam
PART I. EMPIRICAL METHODS
Chapter 2. Designing Self-Completion Questionnaires in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera
Chapter 3. Using Interviews in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera
Chapter 4. Using Focus Groups in Literary Reception Research
Helleke van den Braber
Chapter 5. Analysing Elicitation Data in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera and Helleke van den Braber
PART II. SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS
Chapter 6. Field Theory: Researching and Mapping the Literary Field
Anne Oerlemans
Chapter 7. Posture Analysis
Jos Joosten
Chapter 8. Material Analysis and Book History Methods
Alicia C. Montoya
PART III. DIGITAL METHODS
Chapter 9. Literary Evaluation and Argumentation Analysis
Esther Op de Beek and Bea Ros
Chapter 10. Computer-Assisted Qualitative Analysis
Dennis Kersten and Usha Wilbers
Chapter 11. Computational Analysis: Fanfiction as Literary Reception
Julia Neugarten
Chapter 12. Corpus Analysis: Distant Reading Digitized Periodicals
Maaike Koffeman
PART IV. TEXT-FOCUSED METHODS
Chapter 13. Literary Discourse Analysis
Aukje van Hout
Chapter 14. Close Reading and Reception Studies
Frederik Van Dam
Chapter 15. Translation as Reception
Elke Brems and Jan Ceuppens
Glossary
Contributors
Jeroen Dera, Anne Oerlemans and Frederik Van Dam
PART I. EMPIRICAL METHODS
Chapter 2. Designing Self-Completion Questionnaires in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera
Chapter 3. Using Interviews in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera
Chapter 4. Using Focus Groups in Literary Reception Research
Helleke van den Braber
Chapter 5. Analysing Elicitation Data in Literary Reception Research
Jeroen Dera and Helleke van den Braber
PART II. SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS
Chapter 6. Field Theory: Researching and Mapping the Literary Field
Anne Oerlemans
Chapter 7. Posture Analysis
Jos Joosten
Chapter 8. Material Analysis and Book History Methods
Alicia C. Montoya
PART III. DIGITAL METHODS
Chapter 9. Literary Evaluation and Argumentation Analysis
Esther Op de Beek and Bea Ros
Chapter 10. Computer-Assisted Qualitative Analysis
Dennis Kersten and Usha Wilbers
Chapter 11. Computational Analysis: Fanfiction as Literary Reception
Julia Neugarten
Chapter 12. Corpus Analysis: Distant Reading Digitized Periodicals
Maaike Koffeman
PART IV. TEXT-FOCUSED METHODS
Chapter 13. Literary Discourse Analysis
Aukje van Hout
Chapter 14. Close Reading and Reception Studies
Frederik Van Dam
Chapter 15. Translation as Reception
Elke Brems and Jan Ceuppens
Glossary
Contributors