Professor Renee Hobbs identifies five instructional strategies for addressing the prevention of violent extremism based on the practice of digital and media literacy education.

2. Renee Hobbs
Professor of Communication Studies
Director, Media Education Lab
University of Rhode Island USA
Twitter: @reneehobbs
Media and Information
Literacy: Educational
Strategies for the
Prevention of Violent
Extremism
February 9, 2017
United National Headquarters

3. Rising inequality is contributing to increased
political polarization, nationalism,
violent extremism and hate speech

4. 160 deaths due to terrorism in the month
of JANUARY 2017

5. Violent Extremism Around the World
Focus on Prevention

6. Coordinated use of social media by American white-nationalist
groups on Twitter have increased by 600% since 2012

7. In just one month, ISIL released 1,150 propaganda events –
batches of related videos, articles, photos, essays – originating
from 35 different production units

8. Who is a violent extremist?
• An ISIS fighter?
• An abortion-clinic bomber?
• An alt-right neo-Nazi?
• An activist from China’s Uighur minority?
• A Black Lives Matter protester?

9. Violent extremism includes beliefs and actions of
people who use illegal force or violence to achieve
political, economic, ideological, religious or political
goals through fear, coercion or intimidation

10. ProblemsofDefinition

11. How can media and
information literacy
prevent violent extremism?
What instructional strategies
are effective?

12. Media and Information Literacy Involves
Questioning All Forms of Authority
Media literacy, because it emphasizes a
critique of textual authority, invites
students to identify the cultural codes that
structure an author’s work, understand
how these codes function as part
of a social system, and disrupt the text
through alternative interpretations. In
learning to critically read media messages,
citizens are developing the abilities to
gather accurate, relevant information
about their society and to question
authority (both textual and, by
implication, institutional).
- Renee Hobbs, 1998

13. Media and Information Literacy
is a Civic Competency
Media education is an essential step
in the long march towards a truly
participatory democracy, and the
democratization of our institutions.
Widespread media literacy is
essential if all citizens are to wield
power, make rational decisions,
become effective change agents,
and have an effective involvement
with the media.
-Len Masterman, 1985

14. Media and Information Literacy Encourages
People to be Agents of Social Change
When people have digital and media
literacy competencies, they recognize
personal, corporate and political
agendas and are empowered to speak
out on behalf of the missing voices
and omitted perspectives in our
communities. By identifying and
attempting to solve problems, people
use their powerful voices and their
rights under law to improve the world
around them.
-Renee Hobbs, 2010

15. Key Concepts of Media Literacy

17. What’s Needed for
Media and Information Literacy to Thrive
1. Curriculum Standards and
Frameworks
2. Teacher Education and
Professional Development
3. Professional Networks for
Information Sharing
4. Curricular Resources, Instructional
Strategies and Materials
5. Supportive Implementation
Climate
6. Support for Program Evaluation
and Research on Effectiveness

18. Build Awareness of Media Messages
about Violent Extremism
Critically Analyze How Violent
Extremism is Presented in
Entertainment & Non-Fiction Media
Recognize Propaganda and
Hate Speech
Form Authentic Relationships with
People From Other Countries
Use the Power of Communication to
Speak Out

19. Build Awareness of Media Messages
about Violent Extremism

20. Workshop How Iranians are Represented in Mass Media

22. Critically Analyze How Violent
Extremism is Presented in
Entertainment & Non-Fiction Media
Cleanskin (2012)
Dir: Hadi Hajaig
Suffragette (2015)
Dir: Sarah Gavron

23. HERO
VILLAIN
VICTIM
Critically Analyze How Violent
Extremism is Presented in
Entertainment & Non-Fiction Media

24. Cleanskin (2012)
Dir: Hadi Hajaig

25. Compare and Contrast:
How Violent Extremism is Presented in
Entertainment & Non-Fiction Media
HERO
VILLAIN
VICTIM

26. Suffragette (2015)
Dir: Sarah Gavron

27. Compare and Contrast:
How Violent Extremism is Presented in
Entertainment & Non-Fiction Media
HERO
VILLAIN
VICTIM

28. Recognize Propaganda & Hate Speech
www.mindovermedia.tv

29. Recognize Propaganda & Hate Speech

30. Recognize and Resist Propaganda and
Hate Speech

32. Recognize and Resist Propaganda and
Hate Speech

33. Recognize and Resist Propaganda and
Hate Speech

34. Recognize and Resist Propaganda and
Hate Speech

35. Recognize and Resist Propaganda and
Hate Speech

36. Recognize Propaganda & Hate Speech

37. Recognize Propaganda & Hate Speech

38. Form Authentic Relationships with
People From Other Countries
ACTIVITIES:
1. Getting to Know You
2. Learning about Two Countries
3. Analyzing TV Shows that Feature High School
4. Discussing Current Events
5. Exchanging Student Videos about Daily Life

41. Information sharing about
Turkey includes student-
curated images and links

42. Use the Power of Communication to
Speak Out

43. Use the Power of Communication to
Speak Out

45. Build Awareness of Media Messages
about Violent Extremism
Compare and Contrast: How Justified
Violence is Presented in Entertainment
and Non-Fiction Media
Recognize Propaganda & Hate Speech
Form Authentic Relationships with
People From Other Countries
Use the Power of Communication to
Speak Out

46. What’s Needed for
Media and Information Literacy to Thrive
1. Curriculum Standards and
Frameworks
2. Teacher Education and
Professional Development
3. Professional Networks for
Information Sharing
4. Curricular Resources,
Instructional Strategies and
Materials
5. Supportive Implementation
Climate
6. Support for Program Evaluation
and Research on Effectiveness

47. MIL education advances critical thinking, reduces
political polarization and inspires civic engagement

48. The highest result of education is tolerance.
~ Helen Keller

49. SOURCES
Bazaz, Aggie Ebrahimi (2009). Iranian Youth & Media Literacy Workshop. http://mediaeducationlab.com/iranian-youth-and-media-
literacy
Brooking,E. & Singer, P. (2016). War Goes Viral. Atlantic Magazine.
Gordon, E. & Mihailidis, P. (2016). The Civic Media Project. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Hobbs R. & Tuzel, S. (2017). The Use of Social Media and Popular Culture to Advance Cross Cultural Understanding. Communicar.
Hobbs, R. & McGee, S. (2014). Teaching about propaganda: An examination of the historical roots of media literacy. Journal of
Media Literacy Education 6(2), 56 – 67.
Hobbs, R. (2013). The blurring of art, journalism and advocacy: Confronting 21st century propaganda in a world of online journalism.
I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society 8(3), 625 – 638.
Hobbs, R., Yoon, J., Al-Humaidan,R., Ebrahimi, A. & Cabral, N. (2011). Online digital media in elementary school. Journal of Middle
East Media 7(1), 1 – 23.
Hobbs, R., Ebrahimi, A., Cabral, N., Yoon, J., & Al-Humaidan, R. (2011). Field-based teacher education in elementary media literacy
as a means to promote global understanding. Action for Teacher Education 33, 144 – 156.
Hobbs, R. (2011). A snapshot of multinational media education in six European countries. Trans: Un’istantanea multinazionale sulla
ME in sei paesi europei. Media Education. Studi, ricerche, buone pratiche [Italy] 1(1), 53 – 70
Martens, H. & Hobbs, R. (2015). How media literacy supports civic engagement in a digital age. Atlantic Journal of Communication
23(2), 120 – 137. DOI:10.1080/15456870.2014.961636
Media Education Lab (2016). Mind Over Media: Analyzing Contemporary Propaganda. [Interactive media.] www.mindovermedia.tv

50. Renee Hobbs
Professor of Communication Studies
Director, Media Education Lab
Harrington School of Communication & Media
University of Rhode Island USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs
LEARN MORE
Web: www.mediaeducationlab.com