UCSB Names Enshittification as 2027 Reads Book
The campus community will explore Cory Doctorow’s critique of digital platforms through a year of events.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Language Learning
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The University of California Santa Barbara has selected Enshittification by Cory Doctorow as its 2027 UCSB Reads book. This annual program encourages both the campus and Santa Barbara residents to engage with a common text exploring modern social issues.
Why it matters
The book examines the digital platform life cycle and the technological trends that shape the modern internet. By featuring this work, the university aims to foster critical thinking about the platforms that dominate current communication and commerce.
Cory Doctorow coined the term enshittification in 2022, and it was named Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society in 2023 and the Macquarie Dictionary in 2024. In comparison, Dictionary.com named maxxing as its 2026 Word of the Year.
The players
Cory Doctorow
He is a Canadian-British activist, journalist, and author who writes extensively on technology, copyright, and digital rights.
University of California Santa Barbara
This public land-grant research university serves as the primary host and organizer for the annual UCSB Reads program.
The details
UCSB will kick off the program in January with a free book giveaway for students. Throughout the winter and spring quarters, the university library will host learning, experiential, and social events, while instructors are encouraged to integrate the book into their course curricula.
Timeline
The term was coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022.
The American Dialect Society named the term Word of the Year in 2023.
The Macquarie Dictionary named the term Word of the Year in 2024.
The UCSB Reads 2027 program launches in January 2027.
A public talk by Cory Doctorow takes place on April 29, 2027.
Culture Shift
The university's selection aligns with the recent cultural prominence of the term enshittification, which was highlighted by the American Dialect Society Word of the Year selections. This choice reflects a broader societal shift toward critically evaluating the influence of dominant digital platforms.
Santa Barbara residents can participate in university-sponsored events and discussions throughout the upcoming winter and spring quarters. Students will also be able to pick up their free copies of the book starting in January.
The takeaway
Engaging with contemporary terminology can help citizens better understand the economic and technical forces governing their digital lives. Readers are encouraged to examine how their daily platform usage reflects the lifecycle stages defined in the book.
What happens next
The program launch is scheduled for January 2027, followed by a culminating public lecture at Campbell Hall on April 29, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic initiatives in our Language Learning section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Santa Barbara Independent.
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