Africana Studies Faculty Member Publishes on Mediating Culture

Africana Studies faculty member Debra C. Smith is the co-author of a recently published article, “Mediating Culture: Media Literacy and Cultural Awareness – The Representation of Race and Ethnicity in Maya and Miguel.”

The article examines how the media influence children’s understanding of people and cultures outside of their own by applying the theories of adolescent learning (including cognitive, personal, social, and moral development) to the analysis of the Maya & Miguel TV program. The authors raise questions on how race, ethnicity, and culture are represented in the program, especially showing the vulnerability of children to misinformation and stereotypes perpetuated in the popular TV episodes. They then develop a series of educational tools and pedagogical frameworks that parents, guardians, and educators can use to improve the media/visual literacy and critical thinking skills of their youngsters.