class social media & citizenship

Readings

  1. Henry Jenkins. “Vernacular Creativity”: An Interview with Jean Burgess (Part One). Confessions of an Aca-Fan:  The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins http://henryjenkins.org/. October 8, 2007. 
  1. Cathy J. Cohen , Joseph Kahne, Benjamin Bowyer, Ellen Middaugh, Jon Rogowski.  Participatory_Politics_New_Media_and_Youth_Political_Action.2012.pdf, pp. 2-9.

Reading response questions – written responses required

  1. In reading #1, Jean Burgess outlines a theory of “cultural citizenship”:  online “vernacular creativity” allows individuals to articulate and network their voices around cultural and political identities and issues.  Are there ways in which you observe practices of online vernacular creativity connected to some sense of “citizenship,” i.e. discourses connecting the individual with the communal?  This might be in the form of YouTube videos, Twitter posts, Instagram feeds, what else?  From friends?  Yourself?
  1. From Production & Circulation, Youth & Participatory Politics Research Network. http://ypp.dmlcentral.net/pages/production-circulation

    From Production & Circulation, Youth & Participatory Politics Research Network.
    http://ypp.dmlcentral.net/pages/production-circulation

    What are some important findings about youth and “new media participatory politics” summarized in reading #2?  What’s your perspective on the proposition that the emergence of a participatory internet culture among young people has the potential to cross over to political communication?

  1. Of the range of postings that circulate through your social media networks, do you observe media that is “political”?  Examples?  In your social media flow, how are discourses of the “individual” and the “common good” expressed?  Try to find something relevant to these questions to share in class.

Written assignments are single-spaced & typed in Times New Roman or Arial (size 12 font), 1-inch margins all around. Remember to proofread. Include a heading (single-spaced) that includes name, date, assignment title.  Turn in as a paper document.