Readers as Explorers: Reimagining Literature through Reception Theory

On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, as part of the ELIT412.1 course Literary Theory and Criticism I, students of ELIT study program had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture delivered by Dr. Damir Kahrić, Shakespearean scholar, and a professor of literature and literary methodology in ELIT and ELT. The lecture, titled “Readers as Explorers: Discovering Texts through Reception,” offered students an engaging and thought-provoking exploration of how meaning is shaped through the act of reading.

The event was hosted by Professor Mirza Čengić, who welcomed Dr. Kahrić and the students to a dynamic academic discussion centered on Reception Theory and its relationship to Reader-Response Theory. Through insightful comparisons and examples, students learned about the implications of Reception Theory for understanding literary texts within their historical, cultural and interpretive contexts.

During the session, students actively contributed by sharing perceptive reflections on how different texts and themes are received and reinterpreted across time and cultures. Dr. Kahrić further enriched the discussion by connecting these ideas to his own doctoral research on Reception Theory and Shakespearean studies, highlighting how readers continually reshape the life of a text.

Both Dr. Kahrić’s expertise and the students’ intellectual curiosity made the lecture an inspiring academic encounter. The study program extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Kahrić for his valuable contribution and to Professor Čengić for organizing the event. Their dedication emphasizes the importance of literary studies and the continual re-evaluation of both traditional and contemporary approaches, which is an enduring commitment of the ELIT program.