Toward an Abolitionist Model of Media Literacy

The resources on this LibGuide page are meant to serve as examples/illustrations for thinking about what can happen when media messages are not interacted with in “media literate” ways. News media is crucial for an informed public. News media also have a history of helping to uphold and further white supremacy. An abolitionist needs to critically read the news, both to stay informed about the world and to recognize and respond when newspapers perpetuate harm.

• Who enefits from and who is harmed by the creation and spread of moral panics, conspiracy theories, propaganda, and copaganda?
• When encountering media messages that seem hard to believe, what assessments can you make to pivot away from distortions of reality?
• When interacting with others who believe false or distorted media messages, how can you think with them in productive and educative ways?