Film Landscapes of Global Youth: Imagining Young Lives

This book explores the dynamic landscapes of global youth through spatially grounded chapters focused on film and media. It is a collection of incredible works concerning children and young people in, out, and through media as well as an examination of what is possible for the future of research within the intersections of geography, film theory, and children’s studies.

It contains contributions from leading academics from anthropology, sociology, philosophy, art, film and media studies, women and gender studies, Indigenous studies, education, and geography, with chapters focused on a spatial area and the representations and relationships of children in that area through film and media. The insights presented also provide a unique and eclectic perspective on the current state of children’s research in relation to the ever-changing media landscape of the 21st century. Film Landscapes of Global Youth approaches the subjects of children and young people in film and media in a way that is not bound by genre, format, medium, or the on-/off-screen binary. Each chapter offers an insightful look at the relationships and portrayals of children and young people in relation to a specific country, culture, or geographic feature.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections between geography, young lives, and the power of film, television, social media, content creation, and more.

Stuart Aitken has worked in the fields of film and children’s geographies for over three decades. In 1994 he published two books --Putting Children in Their Place, and Place, Power, Situation and Spectacle: A Geography of Film (edited with Leo Zonn, Rowman and Littlefield) -- that are considered foundational. He has since published 16 books and over 200 articles that relate to film, media, children’s geographies, child rights and youth activism.

Jacob Rowlett is a PhD candidate whose dissertation focuses on film and media geographies. He is particularly interested in the impact of film in relation to human environments. His research spans across the fields of critical geography, tourism studies, and film theory and history.