"This book seeks to address the complex and multi-faceted relationships between childhood, media, migration and globalisation. Our primary focus is on a specific group that has often been invisible or misrepresented in the debate: that is, migrant children. We are particularly concerned with childre ... n who have migrated in their own lifetimes – that is, first generation migrants – rather than the more established ‘ethnic minority’ communities that now exist in many parts of the world. In this respect, we are addressing an issue that is of considerable concern in contemporary public and political debate: it is an emotionally charged topic that raises challenging questions about social cohesion, nationhood, belonging and citizenship. Yet despite the intensity of these debates, the experiences and perspectives of children themselves are rarely brought to bear – except where they are portrayed as passive victims or (increasingly) as a threat. By contrast, we argue that children are often central actors in the process of migration. They are in the ‘front line’ as migrant families come to terms with their lives in their new location; and they are often the focus for parents’ fears and aspirations for the future and for the tension between cultural continuity and change. The media are frequently a crucial element in this process. Children in migrant families are likely to experience a wide range of media, from local, national, transnational and global sources." (Preface) more

"This volume the consequences of digital media use for young people's individual and social identities. The contributors explore how young people use digital media to share ideas and creativity and to participate in networks that are small and large, local and global, intimate and anonymous. They lo ... ok at the emergence of new genres and forms, from SMS and instant messaging to home pages, blogs, and social networking sites. They discuss such topics as “girl power” online, the generational digital divide, young people and mobile communication, and the appeal of the “digital publics” of MySpace, considering whether these media offer young people genuinely new forms of engagement, interaction, and communication." (Back cover) more