By Any Media Necessary: The New Youth Activism by Henry Jenkins et al. (review)

"By Any Media Necessary" pushes the reader into brand new territory by making cogent and beautifully illustrated points about the myriad of ways in which today's youth have "refreshed and renewed the public's symbolic power as they fight for social justice" (Jenkins et al, 2) specifically by exploring the connections and subsequent changes made by like-minded youth who are able to coalesce through social media. In this vital, exciting text, Jenkins et al take pains to illuminate connections between such disparate groups as Invisible Children, those who identify as DREAMers, young American Muslims, the Harry Potter Alliance and young Libertarians, proving both the power and problems that come when youth heartily embrace cultural disruption through the use of new media.

Jenkins et al make absolutely certain the reader knows that while the communities studied intentionally span a broad "ideological, sociological, geographical and community based spectrum," they share important traits such as "a strong emphasis on personal and collective storytelling" (13). By utilizing forms of new media (like YouTube and Face-book), youth activists can personalize their messages, and subsequently send these often deeply personal treatises across the globe in a flash in order to draw attention to varied political and social justice causes. The innovative actions presented in this text represent a sharp but welcome break from the activism of decades past.

"Participatory politics" is an important term throughout the text. Its inclusion signals a change from "participatory culture," where youth acted under the guidance of institutions, to linked-in cyberspaces where youth connect with one another in order to facilitate changes in the real world on their own terms. By bypassing the establishment in favor of a more collective, hands-on approach, youth are using the unique tools at their disposal to bring about such diverse ends as raising money and awareness to try and oust an African warlord, donating a massive amount of money to OxFam, connecting young Muslims post-9/11 and allowing DREAMers to achieve solidarity by "coming out" as undocumented online.

Jenkins et al expands the model by labeling what they uncover as a "more participatory culture," (emphasis more) by explicitly stating that the difference between the old definition and the new definition is that a more participatory culture "is one where the people have access to the means of cultural production and circulation and one where key decisions are made with the active and expanded participation of community members" (41). The book does an excellent job of showing how our expanded technological network allows culturally engaged young people to become more active citizens. This does not mean the road is easy, however, and Jenkins et al are adept at pointing out the spaces in which young activists have to struggle. But by skillfully identifying the limiting factors affecting participatory politics, Jenkins et al have created an invaluable resource for future activists who would seek to organize in new ways.

Young agitators caught in the present are actively working to forge a future by listening and adapting now, as opposed to relying on the same actions again and again. By creating deliberate public spaces that do not shy away from making the personal political, or even by closely allying their pop culture interests with real world concerns, Jenkins et al shows that youth are working hard at establishing alternatives to past forms of activism by tapping into models which actively encourage young people to use their collective power as citizens. This is achieved through what the text cites as a shifting participatory model, moving from the "informed citizen" (one who possesses full knowledge of an issue) to the newer "motivated citizen," who is not only constantly tuned in to the larger world through social media, but also galvanized to further action by the unique connections they can make with other like-minded youth through the internet.

It's encouraging to see that egalitarian models of youthful...