ABSTRACT

Bringing together strands of public discourse about valuing personal achievement at the expense of social values and the impacts of global capitalism, mass media, and digital culture on the lives of children, this book challenges the potential of science and business to solve the world’s problems without a complementary emphasis on social values. The selection of literary works discussed illustrates the power of literature and human arts to instill such values and foster change. The book offers a valuable foundation for the field of literacy education by providing knowledge about the importance of language and literature that educators can use in their own teaching and advocacy work.

chapter 1|24 pages

The Value of a Literate Culture

chapter 2|24 pages

A Sketch of our World, Current and Future

chapter 3|19 pages

The Digital World

chapter 4|20 pages

Living Life Onscreen and Online

chapter 5|16 pages

Reading Onscreen and Online

chapter 6|18 pages

Education and Literacy in Digital Culture

chapter 7|25 pages

How Fiction and Poetry Work Their Magic

chapter 8|18 pages

A Closer Look at Reading

chapter 10|17 pages

We Point the Way and Take You Halfway There

chapter 11|28 pages

Mapping an Alternative Future