Published date: Jul 18 2023

Journal Title: KnE Social Sciences

Issue title: Transdisciplinary Symposium on Business, Economics, and Communication (TSBEC 2022)

Pages: 318–329

DOI: 10.18502/kss.v8i12.13681

Maya Sekartajimaya.sekartaji@undira.ac.idUniversitas Dian Nusantara, Jakarta, Indonesia

Putri Ayienda DinantiUniversitas Dian Nusantara, Jakarta, Indonesia

Firly Yunanda DamanikUniversitas Dian Nusantara, Jakarta, Indonesia

The world has suffered from COVID-19 since 2020. The high rate of death happens everywhere. In addition, nearly all sectors of life have been destroyed, which leads to chaotic situations. Suddenly people have to be able to survive in many ways. Not only must they get through death, but mentally as well. It is the moment when people express how they feel in literary works to balance their emotions with their mental states. This paper aims to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on particular social groups through reading literary works, and how these literary works can positively change people who survived when the pandemic occurred. Qualitative research is the method used in this paper. On employing Habitus theory from Pierre Bordieu on selected fields, media, and practices, we found that some people tend to read literature more during pandemics. They choose the pandemic topic, neither the classic nor the newest literature readings. Having read specific readings, they find salvation and form a sense of hope in dealing with the outbreak. This paper results that through rigorous literature reading, habitus is formed to ensure sustainability post-pandemic (COVID-19).

Keywords: habitus, sustainability, reading literature, post-pandemic

[1] World Health Organization. Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) [Internet]. World Health Organization; 2020 July 31. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-theyhappen

[2] Gleed A. Booktrust reading habits survey: Executive summary [Internet]. DJS Research Limited; 2014 (Accessed on August 2022). Available from: https://www.euread.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Booktrust-reading-habitsexec- summary-2014.pdf

[3] Payne S. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Research methods in palliative care. 2007:139-161.

[4] Heffernan T. Bourdieu, and higher education: Life in the modern university. Springer Nature; 2022. pp. 34-37.

[5] UKEssays. Bourdieu’s theory of capital, habitus and field [Internet]. UKEssays; 2018. Available from: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/sociology/bourdieus-theorycapital- habitus-field-3862.php?vref=1

[6] Navarro Z. In search of a cultural interpretation of power: The contribution of Pierre Bourdieu. IDS Bulletin. 2006;37(6):11-22.

[7] World Health Organization. Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) [Internet]. World Health Organization; 2020 July 31. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-theyhappen

[8] Cabrera I. World Reading Habits in 2020 [Infographic]. geediting.com; 2020. Available from: https://geediting.com/world-reading-habits-2020/

[9] literacytrust.org.uk. Children and young people’s reading in 2020 before and during the COVID-19 lockdown [Internet]. literacytrust.org.uk (Accessed on September 6th 2022). Available from: https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/researchreports/ children-and-young-peoples-reading-in-2020-before-and-during-the-covid- 19-lockdown/

[10] Gupta K, Sarkar N. Reading helps cope with stress and provides creative solutions in the uncertain times of Covid-19 [Internet]. Scroll.in; 2020 (Accessed on September 6th 2022). Available from: https://scroll.in/article/966505/reading-helps-cope-withstress- and-provides-creative-solutions-in-the-uncertain-times-of-covid-19