Abstract
This qualitative study critically evaluated whether curricula’s power dynamics address the needs of students and educators or serve institutional or ideological agendas. To facilitate this evaluation, the study applied a critical media literacy framework to analyze the pedagogical approach promoted by the Center for Media Literacy within its educational framework. Employing narrative analysis grounded in progressive critical media literacy, the study interrogated the power structures and implicit messages embedded in the Center for Media Literacy’s report on The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, (NATO)-aligned media literacy pedagogy. The analysis identifies four key themes: the framing of NATO as a central target in a global information war, the positioning of media literacy as a strategic defensive tool in modern conflict, the promotion of protectionist approaches as effective pedagogy, and the reinforcement of neoliberal frameworks in education. the study concludes with a discussion of these findings and recommendations for fostering equitable and critical approaches to media literacy education.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Higdon, N., & Sullivan, S. (2025). Media literacy in the crosshairs: NATO’s strategic goals and the revival of protectionist pedagogy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 17(2), 97-109. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2025-17-2-7
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