Bridging the Gaps: Literacy, Media Literacy Education, and Critical Digital Social Work

Abstract

Drawing from literacy studies and research in media literacy education, this article contends that a series of conceptual gaps need to be bridged in order to have a better understanding of how these traditions can contribute to redefining the field of digital social work. The field of digital social work should move towards a more critical-oriented dimension so that digital media and the internet should not simply be considered (as is often the case), as mere tools to improve the professionality of social workers, but rather as life environments and systems of representation shaping individuals’ identities and social relationships.