Political Economy and the Promise of Participatory Media Juha Suoranta & Tere Vadén
University of Tampere, Finland

In the digital world of learning there is a progressive transformation from the institutionalized and individualized forms of learning to open learning and collaboration. The book provides a critical view on the use of new technologies and learning practices in furthering socially just futures, while at the same time paying critical attention to the constants, or “unmoved movers” of the information society development; the West and Capitalism. The essential issue in the Wikiworld is one of freedom – levels and kinds of freedom. Our message is clear: we write for the radical openness of education for all.

Contents Introduction1. A Critical Paradigm of Education 2. Digital Literacy and Political Economy 3. Radical Monopolies: Schools, Computer Softwares and Social Media 4. The World Divided in Two 5. Edutopias and the Promise of Active Citizenship 6. From Social Media to Socialist Media Conclusion References

• Henry Jenkins, Director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• An occasional paper on digital media and learning funded by the McArthur Foundation
• The MacArthur Foundation launched its five-year, $50 million digital media and learning initiative in 2006 to help determine how digital technologies are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life.