In Making Media Studies, David Gauntlett turns media and communications studies on its head. He proposes a vision of media studies based around doing and making - not about the acquisition of skills, as such, but an experience of building knowledge and understanding through creative hands-on engagement with all kinds of media. Gauntlett suggests that media studies scholars have failed to recognise the significance of everyday creativity - the vital drive of people to make, exchange, and learn together, supported by online networks. He argues that we should think about media in terms of conversations, inspirations, and making things happen. Media studies can be about genuine social change, if we recognise the significance of everyday creativity, work to transform our tools, and learn to use them wisely. Making Media Studies is a lively, readable, and heartfelt manifesto from the author of Making is Connecting.

Contents: Media Studies 2.0 – Further Reflections on Media Studies 2.0 – Creativity and Participatory Culture: A Conversation with Henry Jenkins – On Making Media Studies - a Crowdsourced Interview – Academia-Industry Collaboration and Innovation: Three Case Studies, and Eight Principles, for Fostering People’s Creativity on Digital Platforms – The Lego System as a Tool for Thinking, Creativity, and Changing the World – Creativity and Digital Innovation – The Internet is Ancient, Small Steps are Important, and Four Other Theses about Making Things in a Digital World.