Empowerment through Media Education : an Intercultural Dialogue

Although media, digital and information divides do exist in the world, more and more people have access to a steadily swelling flow of material through many new channels. An interactive and mobile media society has grown up alongside the traditional mass media society. Passive media consumers are becoming active media producers. In the midst of these developments are children and youth. Many parents, teachers and policy-makers are concerned about the negative influence they believe media exert on young people. The media, however, are also valued as social and cultural resources. It is in this complex context that we must see the importance of media literacy and media education. But when issues such as these are discussed, all too often the frame of reference is the media culture of the Western world. There is an urgent need for the agenda to become open to non-Western thoughts and intercultural approaches.