Digital Perspectives & Global Narratives in New Media

Resumo

The volume Digital Perspectives and Global Narratives in New Media Communication brings together a diverse collection of studies that examine the evolving role of media in shaping identities, power relations, and social change in a digitised and globalised world. The contributions reflect the richness of contemporary research in media and communication studies, with particular attention to gender, political discourse, accessibility, and digital activism.

A recurring theme across the volume is the capacity of media—both traditional and digital—to construct, circulate, and challenge dominant narratives. The analysis of Aljazeera’s counter-narrative reporting illustrates how transnational media can contest hegemonic flows of information. Similarly, the comparative study of Moroccan women’s rights campaigns highlights how digital platforms function as strategic spaces for feminist mobilisation and the articulation of gender equality claims within complex socio-political contexts.

Gender representation emerges as a central concern throughout the proceedings. The examination of global cinema, including the critical reading of Barbie (2023), interrogates how contemporary films construct and sometimes reinforce polarised gender discourses. Other contributions explore gender through social identity theory, fashion as empowerment, and comic representations on social media, revealing how cultural texts both reflect and shape perceptions of self and other.

In parallel, the volume foregrounds issues of inclusion and accessibility in digital environments. The studies on Video Remote Interpreting in Italy and on multimodal digital narratives for the Deaf community centre Deaf signers’ perspectives and emphasise the need for collaborative, stakeholder-driven approaches to ensure equitable access to communication. 

Finally, discussions of interactive art and participatory digital culture underscore the democratising potential of new media, highlighting the changing relationship between creators and audiences in networked societies.

Collectively, the papers in this volume demonstrate that media are not neutral channels but powerful arenas where identities are negotiated, hierarchies are contested, and global narratives are continuously redefined. It is our hope that these proceedings will contribute meaningfully to scholarly debates in media, cultural, and gender studies, and encourage further critical engagement with the narratives shaping our contemporary world.