Terrorism in Youth Popular Culture

Book excerpt: As an integral part of the modern West, terrorism features prominently in the news, in film and television, even in video games and books. Packaged for public consumption, representations of terrorism and terrorists offer attempts to make sense of the contemporary experience. While terrorism is often treated as a topic of concern for mature audiences, this book focuses on media that are aimed at children and young adults. The contributors investigate the way terrorism is portrayed in movies, television shows, literature, games, and other popular culture formats aimed at these younger audiences, focusing particularly on the impact these portrayals have on these audiences as future decision-makers.