
Youth and Media
Youth and Media (YaM) encompasses an array of research, advocacy, and development initiatives around youth (age 12-18) and digital technology. Interacting closely with other teams at the Berkman Klein Center, YaM draws on the knowledge and experiences of individuals with various backgrounds, including psychology, ethnography, sociology, education, media theory, and the law. Building upon this interdisciplinary approach, YaM invites and amplifies the voices of youth throughout the research process, aiming to develop contributions that reflect and address young people’s needs, perspectives, experiences, and interests. The team’s work builds upon an evidence-base that offers unique insights into the creative, educational, and revolutionary possibilities of youth activity in the digital space while addressing the genuine concerns that come with living life online.
As a project, YaM embraces the core pillars of the Berkman Klein Center, which can be summarized as follows:
STUDY
- Impacting the current debate and providing guidance around emerging issues related to youth and digital media that are transforming economic, social, and cultural contexts (example: here, here, here, and here). // Applying methodologies that are able to capture youth’s perspectives (example: here, here, here, and here). // Contributing to work on the economic and social implications of emerging technologies (example: here) // Producing research with reach (examples: here and here).
EDUCATE
- Co-designing with youth (examples: here and here). // Designing for different audiences (example: here). // Leveraging the BKC networks (example: here). // Developing content in much-needed areas (examples: here and here).
BUILD
- Building tools for different environments and audiences (examples: here, here, here, and here). // Designing platforms that foster participation (example: here). // Translating research for different audiences (examples: here, here, here, and here).
CONNECT
- Studying, educating, and building in a collaborative way (examples: here, here, and here) // // Building (interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder, regional, and global) networks (examples: here and here). // Increasing information sharing. // Engaging in coordination efforts (example: here and here). // Investing in capacity building