Reading Manifestos: Why They Matter and What Comes After

This article explores the relationship between book reading, reading literacy, democ­racy, and national security in a period of rapid technological, political, and linguis­tic change. Building on three recent reading manifestos (the Ljubljana Manifesto, the Riga Manifesto, and the Slovenian Manifesto on Reading for the 21st Century) it ar­gues that higher-level reading is a foundational practice that supports critical think­ing, perspective-taking, empathy, cognitive patience, and other capacities essential for democratic citizenship and resilience. To explain why higher-level reading has become increasingly important, the article identifies four interconnected developments shap­ing contemporary societies. First, new information technologies, including artificial intelligence, have expanded access to knowledge while also accelerating the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Second, democratic institutions are facing increasing pressure from authoritarian and populist tendencies. Third, the growing dominance of English and advances in machine translation are transforming linguistic practices and raising questions about the future role of national languages. Fourth, international assessments such as Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PI­AAC) reveal declining reading literacy and widening inequalities in literacy skills across many developed countries. Drawing on recent empirical research, the article argues that literary reading enriches vocabulary, strengthens perspective-taking, and enhances the ability to understand complex social realities. It concludes that high lev­els of reading literacy, particularly in one’s first language, contribute to cultural re­silience, innovation, democratic stability, and national security. Higher-level reading therefore should be regarded not only as an educational or cultural objective, but also as a strategic societal priority.