Children and youth cultures meet the challenges of participation – interview with Henry Jenkins

Abstract

Henry Jenkins, the Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, Cinematic Arts and Education at the University of Southern California, has been at the centre of several core discussions about the media and communication fields over the last 30 years. Textual poachers (Jenkins, 1992/2013) marked a decisive turn in fandom studies, stressing that fans and their (participatory) cultures can and should be discussed independently from the prejudices that had tended to prevail until then. In the early 21st century, while discussions about the concept of convergence focused on its technological destinies and economic imperatives, Henry Jenkins emphasised the need to pay attention to its cultural dimensions (in particular those deriving from, or inspired by, the increasing visibility and strength of participatory cultures). His research culminated with the publication of another book, Convergence culture (Jenkins, 2008). Not surprisingly, participation is still an important concept in Henry Jenkins’ current research. This interview revisits some of the traditional ideas of his previous works and also discusses some of the most recent ones (such as civic imagination). Present and future theoretical and methodological dilemmas facing anyone trying to make sense of participation, as well as research gaps, are also discussed. The conversation was guided by the specificities of children and youth cultures in view of the challenges of participation.