Media Literacy as Civic Discourse

Abstract

Our democracy relies on citizens being skilled in the art of civic discourse. Being able to speak our minds freely, enter into conversations with those with whom we disagree, and to ask questions of others and listen openly are all essential to democratic processes and the growth of our political institutions and policies. Yet the rules of civic discourse are not always intuitive to us within digital spaces. As a result of inhibited dialogue, we are seeing more polarization and conflict in democratic discourse, especially in those conversations taking place online. Media literacy, however, habituates us to “listening openly,” as it offers citizens a framework through which to ask questions and investigate the full context and purpose of a media message. In the same vein, media production is the primary mechanism for contributing one's own ideas and messages to a broad digital space, an essential component of productive dialogue. It is therefore imperative we teach media literacy and production in schools, in order to equip our youth with the skills of digital civic discourse necessary for responsible and engaged global citizenship.