Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Sociology
Date of Award
5-2026
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Kelly N. Foster
Committee Members
Martha Copp, Candace Bright Hall-Wurst
Abstract
This study examines how BookTok, a subcommunity centered on reading, functions as a social and emotional domain that shapes contemporary reading culture. Discourse analysis of the most popular videos within the BookTok subspace revealed commonalities in how creators expressed their emotions through text, language, and audio. Patterns of emotional devastation were also present in the discourse, pointing to affective-discursive practices circulating the community. Moreover, a content analysis of the books being promoted across highly engaged BookTok videos uncovered significant themes of romance and an appreciation for modern fiction novels.
Findings suggest that reading functions as a social experience that is shared by community members. Given this analysis, I argue that traditional markers of cultural capital are being reconfigured through emotional engagement on BookTok. Furthermore, digital platforms shape how books, not only reading engagement, are consumed and valued.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Thompson, Courtney B., "Social Reading and #BookTok: Exploring Emotion, Community, and Book Promotion on TikTok" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4682. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4682
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Community-Based Research Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, Theory, Knowledge and Science Commons
