This book shows how media literacy can improve the health of communication ecosystems amid information disorder. It makes the case for media literacy as a human right and a foundation for civic resilience and curates research and best practices to show how media literacy can counter misinformation, support public health, and prepare society for challenges like pandemics and AI. The book is structured around a theory of change with four interconnected media literacy domains: Access (how and where we engage with media), Awareness (critical understanding of media), Capability (life skills for education, employment, civic and digital participation), and Consequences (taking actions with media literacy that improve communication ecosystems for everybody). It includes six chapters and an introduction, presenting a comprehensive field review which maps 400 projects from all over the world to the theory of change, concluding with a forward-looking chapter on the possible healthier future. Ideal for educators, academics and researchers, librarians, activists, journalists, policymakers, and health professionals, this book offers a timely, actionable vision for strengthening media literacy and building more resilient, informed communities.

Julian McDougall is a Professor in Media and Education, Principal Fellow of Advance HE and Media Literacy Consultant, most recently with Ofcom and BBC Media Action. He is Programme Leader for the Professional Doctorate (Ed D) in Creative and Media Education at Bournemouth University.

He is co-editor of the Journal of Media Literacy Education and Routledge Research in Media Literacy and Education and Chair of the Media and Information Literacy Alliance, the UK Chapter of Unesco MIL. In the fields of education, media literacy, media, communications and cultural studies, he is author / editor of a wide range of books, articles, chapters and research reports and has provided numerous research projects for research councils, media industry, charities and non-profit organisations.