As the United States approaches another consequential midterm election, much of our attention naturally turns toward candidates, polling, turnout, and the issues that will shape how people vote. Yet the questions raised by an election season extend far beyond any one country. Across democracies, citizens are navigating political polarization, fragmented information … [Read more...] about The Case for Civic Friendship, Especially Now
Democracy
Media Literacy’s Role in Preserving and Redefining the Public Commons
When our editorial committee started planning for this issue, we were pondering how to address the extreme polarization we were seeing in the U.S. election campaign. In 2024, at least 64 countries were holding elections, highlighting the variety and fragility of democracy around the globe. Online digital spaces complicate the traditional concept of the town square in which … [Read more...] about Media Literacy’s Role in Preserving and Redefining the Public Commons
Navigating the Public Commons: A Student Perspective on Democracy and Public Space
Abstract In contemporary United States democracy, the public sphere seems to be increasingly fragmented, with citizens more engaged with their digital devices than with each other. As a college student, I have observed that we are often more preoccupied with the latest social media trends and virtual interactions than the pressing issues in our immediate communities. This … [Read more...] about Navigating the Public Commons: A Student Perspective on Democracy and Public Space
Student Media Projects Elevate Student Voices: UN Sustainability Goals
Abstract I have been working with students for several years in collaboration with global organizations that support the UN Sustainability Goals. This introduces my public high school students in North Carolina to issues that tend to be left out of the public school curriculum. I teach videography/photography so our work lends itself to elevating student voices … [Read more...] about Student Media Projects Elevate Student Voices: UN Sustainability Goals
