ABSTRACT
Writing is a key factor in the emergence of human civilizations. It is part of how societies conduct many of their formal affairs. This chapter starts by discussing the origins of writing and the relation of literacy to social structures and especially to the exercise of social power. Of special relevance is the topic of literary practices, starting with mythic narratives and how they undergird the development of language itself and of the social institutions that they describe as vital to human group life. The chapter ends with a discussion of artificial writing systems, including the emoji one and what it indicates about the future of writing and literacy.
