Media Literacy as Resilience: A Conceptual Framework

Throughout the years, media literacy has been considered an aid for many societal ills in the Western world: from fighting against stereotypical representations of different (marginalized) groups to combating mis- and disinformation. However, these educational initiatives build upon a Western view of the world, and do not take into account issues faced by societies in permanent crisis. The aim of this article is to propose a conceptual framework called H.E.L.P. that positions media literacy as a form of resilience in areas fraught with wars, migration, famine, climate catastrophe, and other adversities. In the H.E.L.P. framework, we identify four core elements: habit (focusing on media use and media environment); escapism (focusing on entertainment and media avoidance); listening (discussing attentiveness to affective and bodily reactions); and participation (highlighting active engagement with media). We discuss implications for media literacy research and provide guidelines for practitioners.