The battle for democracy has, since the seventeenth century, been a struggle to give dignity and autonomy to human voice. The right to speak in one’s own voice about any matter of social importance, invoking any facts, theories, or values, without governments having the right to censor or constrain open comment, has been the defining characteristic of democratic societies.
Tag Archives | civic engagement
The Challenge of Digital Hearing
Beyond Participation: Designing for the Civic Web
The web and mobile phones have transformed how people engage in local civic life. Information is more accessible and opportunities to participate are more apparent. But as traditional indicators of civic engagement are in decline, including voting and meeting attendance, what I call the civic web is in need of design.
Exploring Global Perspectives on Identity, Community and Media Literacy in a Networked Age
Mobile technologies and social media platforms are reshaping how we think about community in the 21st Century. Today, youth are sharing content, opinions and ideas multiple times per day, every day, all day. Digital media have created opportunities to engage around common ideas, shared interests and civic goals. This paper explores how a global group of university students understands community in the digital age.
Digital Citizenship in Charlotte: a City-Wide Experiment in Digital and Media Literacy
This article explores the relationship between digital and media literacy (DML) and digital citizenship. It situates digital and media literacy within the larger field of media literacy and explores how democratic communication and critical pedagogy inform the James L. Knight School of Communication’s citywide DML initiative in Charlotte, North Carolina.