This book examines the powerful role of popular culture in the daily online literacy practices
of young people. Whether as subject matter discourse or through rhetorical patterns popular
culture dominates both the form and the content of online reading and writing. In order to
understand not only how but why online technologies have changed literacy and popular culture
practices this book looks at online participatory popular culture from MySpace and Facebook
pages to fan forums to fan fiction. Interviews and observations reveal the skills and practices
students develop as they sit multitasking at their computers across popular culture genres
and electronic media. For educators the book provides significant insights into popular
culture literacy practices thus illuminating how students are making meaning and performing
identity every day as they read and write online.
