Young People’s Views on Experts and Evidence in Political Documentaries

• In Event: Media Creation and Use in Learning

Abstract

The role of documentary film as a medium for politics has a long history. The actual effectiveness of these films, and how young people in particular view them, is less well known. This study focuses the impact of young people’s political backgrounds and knowledge on their views of political issues in documentary film. We found that films with political messages influenced how young people framed the issues presented in the films and even their position on the issues, regardless of their own views – even when they recognized the political messages in film. Implications for teachers include the need to teach students to analyze the evidence and messages in documentary films specifically, and the need for media education in democratic education.

Authors

• Jeremy D. Stoddard, The College of William & Mary

• Jason A. Chen, The College of William and Mary