Youth Engaging With the World. Media, Communication and Social Change

The International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media’s Yearbook 2009 focuses on youth as a generation of actors and citizens who are increasingly exposed to and making use of media/ICT for entertainment and informational purposes, for social networking and mobilisation, and for knowledge sharing.

From the publisher's website: "Throughout history, young people have often been active participants in the manifestation of social change, and most times their creative uses of media and innovative practices of communication have been crucial in the process. Youth have had key roles in citizen media, in alternative media that stimulate public debate, or in campaigning for particular causes such as HIV/AIDS prevention, political freedom, freedom of expression, fair trade, etc. Different Internet platforms like Facebook, Youtube and blogs have become rapidly growing virtual sites that give shape to new forms of social networking, communication and mobilization, primarily amongst youth.

Young people’s competence in using media, their ability to produce, understand and interact with the multiplicity of both new and old media formats and technologies have been instrumental in the manifestation of social processes of change. This book seeks to explore theoretical assumptions as well as empirical evidence of media and information literacy in action. But it also gathers examples of how youth in developing countries have used their skills to bring about change."