Critical Media Literacy Conference

The Evolution of Critical Media Literacy

Today, media culture is one of the most dominant forces in society. It contributes to how we define our sense of self and drives our understanding of the ‘Other.’ Media also perpetuates symbols, myths, and serves as a resource for generating a common culture. This multidisciplinary conference is designed to aid current educational leaders, future teachers, youth, and other concerned citizens in their understanding of the mass media and its impact on the events that shape our daily lives. Promoting critical media literacy is essential to excavating social inequalities and fostering participatory democracy during the 21st century. This year’s conference theme is The Evolution of Critical Media Literacy and focuses on past, current, and future trends in critical media literacy.

We enthusiastically call for paper proposals that urgently and critically redefine, redirect, and recreate notions of knowledge, truth, and justice through (and with) critical media literacy and pedagogy. Paper proposals might address topics such as (but not limited to) the following:

• How have various technologies employed by corporate conglomerates in the mass media been used to foster critical understanding and solidarity across the globe, rather than to promote conformity and corporatism?
• How do educators, youth, and concerned citizens provide more genuine representations of global citizens through their own media products including social media?
• How do teacher educators integrate critical media studies in teacher preparation programs?
• How do current standards in education promote critical media literacy in schools?
• What do educators think about as they implement critical media literacy in their PK-12 classrooms?
• How has media literacy successfully fostered K-20 students’ critical engagement with mass media?
• How can various critical theories enrich our understanding of the mass media in the age of neoliberalism?
• What are some ways in which media literacy can be applied to the new demands and concerns of today’s digitized culture?
• What are the consequences of being constantly connected to media?
• How do current trends in media shape and change how we live?
• What does a historical analysis of critical media literacy education in the U.S. tell us about current and future trends in critical media literacy education?
• How might library scientists go about training critical media librarians?

Strand 1: Library Sciences
Papers in this strand will explore the existing or potential connection between library science and critical media inquiry.

Strand 2: Educational Foundations
Papers in this strand will explore interpretive, normative, and critical approaches to examining media. Papers that address critical pedagogy in online spaces are also highly desirable.

Strand 3: School of Communication
Papers in this strand will explore the relationships between communication scholarship and pedagogy and critical media literacy. Papers that examine the connections between communication, civic engagement, and media literacy are especially encouraged.

Strand 4: The Borg Center For Reading and Literacy
Papers in this strand will explore questions and and issues related to shifting definitions of literacy, critical media literacy, and potential new intersections of inquiry.

Key Dates
Call for papers opens: October 23, 2014
Proposal due date: February 18, 2015

Travel Lodging and Accommodations
Airport
Driving directions
Hotels

Keynote Address
Dr. Shirley R. Steinberg, Ph.D. is an international author and speaker, and regular columnist for CTV. She is the Research Professor of Youth Studies at the Werklund School of Education, and is our keynote speaker for this event. She will presenting “That Ain’t Workin’, That’s the Way They Do It: Critically Taking On Corporate Media.”

Published Proceedings
All papers will be published in the conference proceedings and will be open-access. A statement authorizing this publication is included in the submission agreement.

Co-Sponsors
California State University, East Bay The Department of Educational Leadership (DEL) at East Bay supports the critical media literacy conference because critical media literacy is integral to preparing bold, socially transformative leaders in K-12 schools, and other educative contexts. This is integral to the work of the faculty and students in DEL at East Bay.