THE REVIVAL OF LITERARY READING HABITS IN A NONWESTERN CONTEXT THROUGH THE US-ORIGINATED BOOKTOK TREND

Abstract

Social media has become a powerful force in shaping youth behaviour, especially in developing reading habits. TikTok, one of the most popular platforms, has given rise to BookTok, a sub-community where users recommend books and share appealing quotes. This trend has revived interest in reading among the younger generation. This study investigates the impact of BookTok on university students in Pakistan, particularly how a Western-originated trend influences reading behaviours in a non-Western context. A sequential mixed methods approach was employed. In the first phase, a questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate students from the Departments of English Literature and Linguistics at Punjab's University of Okara. It explored their reading frequency, genre preferences, motivations, and awareness of BookTok. The second phase involved interviews conducted before and after exposure to BookTok content. These were thematically analysed to determine changes in reading behaviour and mindset. Guided by the Uses and Gratification Theory, the study highlights how BookTok exposure sparked curiosity, shifted attitudes, and motivated students to explore diverse genres, often reading for personal enjoyment. The findings suggest that BookTok can effectively enhance literary interest in non-Western settings and recommends its integration into literature classrooms to promote reading development.