Critical Literacies and Gender Studies: Navigating Media, Education, and Civic Engagement for Social Justice

In today’s increasingly digital media landscape, enhancing critical literacy and fostering civic engagement is crucial for addressing gender disparities and broader inequalities within education and public life.

Critical Literacies and Gender Studies explores the intersections of media literacy, gender studies, and civic participation, offering theoretical insights and practical strategies to challenge dominant power structures and advocate for gender equity. It highlights the importance of integrating critical literacies into educational curricula, combating misinformation, and fostering an inclusive digital environment. Topics include European research on digital citizenship and gender equality, the regulation of social platforms, and mediated intimacies.

Critical Literacies and Gender Studies provides an interdisciplinary framework for analysing how media practices shape societal norms, education, and civic life.

Inês Amaral is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and a researcher at the Centre for Social Studies. She was the PI of MyGender project. Currently, she is the Co-PI of MediaTrust.Lab and a member of the Masculinities Observatory.

Ana Marta M. Flores has a PhD in journalism and is a researcher at ICNOVA and Nephi-Jor, collaborating with the Trends and Culture Management Lab and Obi.Media. She is visiting assistant professor at NOVA University Lisbon and the University of Coimbra, and is the vice president of communication for the Digital Culture and Communication section of ECREA.

Rita Basílio de Simões is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and a researcher at the Centre for Social Studies. She leads the Portuguese participation in the Global Media Monitoring Project and coordinates the SOPCOM (Portuguese Association of Communication) Working Group on Gender and Sexualities.

Eduardo Antunes is a research fellow and doctoral student in Communication Sciences at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, where he completed his master’s degree in Journalism and Communication. He is a radio broadcaster and author at RUC, where he previously served as the program coordinator.