Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.1
1.7
Journals
Social Sciences
Special Issues
Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion
share announcement

Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Childhood and Youth Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 6127

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nasya Bahfen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Media and Communication, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
Interests: digital media; Asian media; media diversity; sport and diversity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores young people’s relationships with, use of, and interactions on digital media. Digital media dominates the lives of an entire generation. It plays an integral part in young people’s sense of belonging and identity, their social interactions, their working lives, their self-expression, and their consumption of news and information.

As Guest Editor of this Special Issue, I want to highlight the current research into the centrality of digital media in the lives of young people. I am seeking submissions including (but not limited to) the following themes or topics.

  • How does digital media affect young people’s identity, belonging, and sense of self?
  • What do young people get out of digital media? How do they learn from it, and how does it enrich or hinder their lives?
  • How are digital platforms and applications used in organising and lobbying by young people around special interests or hobbies?
  • How do young people navigate personal relationships and social interaction through digital media?
  • How do young people consume, or create, digital news and information?
  • How do young people incorporate digital media in their professional lives, or in the service of their work?

Other submissions involving young people’s relationships with digital media will also be considered.

Dr. Nasya Bahfen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital media
  • digital news
  • social identity
  • social inclusion
  • social media
  • youth
  • youth cultures
  • digital platforms
  • online communities

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 678 KB  
Article
Semiotic Fracturing of Rural Cultural Symbols in Short Video Ecosystems: A Critical Discourse Analysis of “Tǔ Wèi” Labeling and Cultural Subjectivity Construction
by Xinrong Qiu, Wenjun Qu, Tongyue Feng and Xiaoxia Zhu
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(8), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080494 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 416
Abstract
This study interrogates the semiotic destabilization of rural cultural symbols in China’s burgeoning short video sphere, with particular focus on the discursive reconstruction of “tǔ wèi” labeling. This paper, through semantic tracing and content analysis, combined with empirical data from over 130,000 “tǔ [...] Read more.
This study interrogates the semiotic destabilization of rural cultural symbols in China’s burgeoning short video sphere, with particular focus on the discursive reconstruction of “tǔ wèi” labeling. This paper, through semantic tracing and content analysis, combined with empirical data from over 130,000 “tǔ wèi” videos on Douyin (Tik Tok), categorizes the “tǔ wèi” content into two major styles: the novelty-hunting and ugliness-seeking style and the rural original ecological style. It also compares the differences in popularity, quality, and value orientation between the two. The research finds that the semantic segmentation of the “tǔ wèi” label is rooted in clash of civilizations and the urban–rural dichotomy, as well as the promotion of the traffic logic and symbol abuse of short video platforms. This segmentation has exacerbated the stigmatization of Chinese farming culture and weakened cultural confidence. It is suggested that efforts should be made from three aspects: deep exploration of indigenous “tǔ” cultural resources, optimization of algorithm recommendation mechanisms, and reconstruction of discourse contexts, to promote the semantic return of the “tǔ wèi” label and consolidate cultural subjectivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1132 KB  
Article
Best Version of Yourself? TikToxic Effects of That-Girl Videos on Mood, Body Satisfaction, Dieting Intentions, and Self Discipline
by Silvana Weber, Michelle Sadler and Christoph Mengelkamp
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(8), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080450 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 513
Abstract
The “That Girl” self-optimization trend on TikTok, promoting beauty and productivity, had over 17.4 billion views by August 2024. “That Girl” video clips showcase perfectly organized daily routines, fitness activities, and healthy eating—allegedly to inspire other users to aspire to similar flawlessness. Based [...] Read more.
The “That Girl” self-optimization trend on TikTok, promoting beauty and productivity, had over 17.4 billion views by August 2024. “That Girl” video clips showcase perfectly organized daily routines, fitness activities, and healthy eating—allegedly to inspire other users to aspire to similar flawlessness. Based on social comparison theory, the “That Girl” archetype serves as an upward comparison target. We expected detrimental effects of viewing “That Girl” content on young women in terms of positive and negative affect and body satisfaction. Expanding other research in this area, possible effects on self-discipline and dieting intentions were explored. Focusing on immediate intraindividual changes, a preregistered two-group online experiment using a pre–post measurement design was conducted. Female participants (N = 76) watched four minutes of either 16 video clips showing “That Girl” content or nature videos (control condition). Mixed ANOVAs provided evidence of a significant adverse influence of watching “That Girl” videos on female recipients regarding all dependent variables with medium or large effect sizes. Post-hoc analyses revealed that these effects were driven by participants who reported upward comparisons to “That Girls”. Based on these results, the positive impact on self-improvement—as proclaimed by contributors of the “That Girl” trend—is critically questioned. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 238 KB  
Article
K-Pop and Education Migration to Korea in the Digitalised COVID-19 Era
by Sunghyun Park, Storm Schutte and Sungwoo Park
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060390 - 18 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1589
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between K-Pop and education migration to South Korea in the context of the global internet and the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the phenomenon in which local Asian territories have been widely influenced by the Korean Wave, particularly [...] Read more.
This study examines the relationship between K-Pop and education migration to South Korea in the context of the global internet and the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the phenomenon in which local Asian territories have been widely influenced by the Korean Wave, particularly K-Pop, even during the era of global communication and health risks. This research illuminates some intriguing aspects of the distinctive reception patterns of Korean Wave audiences, as well as their unique characteristics, such as innocence, transgression, and the nuanced dynamics of the fandom during that period. Furthermore, this research engages critically with controversial aspects of cultural politics, such as the transmission of the legacy of K-Pop and the centralisation of femininity more actively. This study concludes that K-Pop has recently been relocated to the conjunctures of mediated and overdetermined influences on students’ education migration to South Korea rather than acting as a direct power and reason for it, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid digitalisation of education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion)
18 pages, 510 KB  
Article
Cultural Identity and Virtual Consumption in the Mimetic Homeland: A Case Study of Chinese Generation Z Mobile Game Players
by Shiyi Zhang, Zengyu Li and Xuhua Chen
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060362 - 9 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1352
Abstract
In the digital age, mobile games have become a new frontier for cultural identity and virtual consumption among Chinese Generation Z youth. With the development of the internet, users have gradually adapted to the coexistence of virtual and real identities, enriching the “small [...] Read more.
In the digital age, mobile games have become a new frontier for cultural identity and virtual consumption among Chinese Generation Z youth. With the development of the internet, users have gradually adapted to the coexistence of virtual and real identities, enriching the “small society” within games. However, virtual consumption and its underlying driving mechanisms have not received sufficient attention. Through interviews with 20 young people of Chinese Generation Z, this study argues that virtual consumption is not only about material consumption but also serves as a link between emotions and identity. In China’s increasingly atomised society, the idea of the “mimetic homeland” has become an essential interactive domain for Generation Z in the digital age. It offers individuals a dynamic space to engage with their cultural identity and sustain emotional resonance amid fragmented social conditions. In the “mimetic homeland”, game content, broadcaster charm, symbolic consumption, and player creation intertwine, allowing mobile games to create a diverse cultural identity mechanism. This mechanism rekindles players’ recognition of cultural identity and provides them with spiritual support. In mobile games, players continuously produce and consume cultural identity, using digital means to shape and spread spiritual consciousness symbols, ultimately achieving cultural identity commodification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 1740 KB  
Article
Disparities in Design for a Youth Audience: “Digital Native” Versus “Digital Migrant” Newspapers in Saudi Arabia
by Eman Alkhomees and Nasya Bahfen
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060353 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1624
Abstract
This study investigated how the front-page designs of digital newspapers differ based on institutional origin—comparing platforms that were born-digital with those that have transitioned from print—focusing specifically on their appeal to Generation Z audiences. Grounded in Media Richness Theory, this research employed a [...] Read more.
This study investigated how the front-page designs of digital newspapers differ based on institutional origin—comparing platforms that were born-digital with those that have transitioned from print—focusing specifically on their appeal to Generation Z audiences. Grounded in Media Richness Theory, this research employed a mixed-methods approach that combined a quantitative visual content analysis with qualitative semi-structured interviews. In the quantitative phase, the front pages of ten Saudi digital newspapers (five digital-native and five digital-migrant) were systematically analyzed to identify differences in their layouts, typography, multimedia usage, and interactivity. The qualitative phase then explored Generation Z users’ perceptions of the design clarity, visual engagement, and interactive affordances, as well as their suggestions for improving interface usability. The results indicate that digital-native newspapers more closely adhere to contemporary digital design standards and demonstrate significantly higher levels of media richness. This study contributes to digital journalism scholarship by offering both theoretical insights into interface-centered richness and practical design recommendations for enhancing user experience and engagement among younger audiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitally Connected: Youth, Digital Media and Social Inclusion)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop