From foundations in critical thinking skills to practical tools and real-life perspectives, this book empowers young adult readers to be independent media users.

During the recent presidential election, “media literacy” became a buzzword that signified the threat media manipulation posed to democratic processes. Meanwhile, statistical research has shown that 8 to 18 year-olds pack more than eleven hours with some form of media into each day by “media multitasking.” Young people are not only eager and interested to learn about and discuss the realities of media ownership, production, and distribution, they also deserve to understand differential power structures in how media influences our culture.
 
The Media and Me provides readers with the tools and perspectives to be empowered and autonomous media users. The book explores critical inquiry skills to help young people form a multidimensional comprehension of what they read and watch, opportunities to see others like them making change, and insight into their own identity projects. By covering topics like storytelling, building arguments and recognizing fallacies, surveillance and digital gatekeeping, advertising and consumerism, and global social problems through a critical media literacy lens, this book will help students evolve from passive consumers of media to engaged critics and creators.

With decades of experience in critical media literacy, the authors include ALLISON BUTLER, director of the Media Literacy Certificate Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, BEN BOYINGTON, high school English teacher and media educator, NOLAN HIGDON, professor of media studies at California State University, and ANDY LEE ROTH and MICKEY HUFF of Project Censored, an organization that promotes independent journalism, critical media literacy, and freedom of expression.
 

PETER GLANTING is an illustrator and UX designer who works with engravings and wood block prints. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon. More at www.peterglantingdraws.com.
 

Introduction: Looking Beneath the Surface
Chapter 1: What Are Media?
Chapter 2: Critical Thinking
Chapter 3: Critical Media Literacy
Chapter 4: Representation
Chapter 5: Multiple Literacies
Chapter 6: Advertising and Consumerism
Chapter 7: News and Journalism
Chapter 8: What Do You Want to Do? A Resource Guide
Glossary
Deeper Reading
Acknowledgements
About the Authors
Notes
Index