The Handbook of Ethnic Media in Canada

Book excerpt: Ethnic minority groups in Canada have set up their own communication infrastructure that has evolved over time from the analog to the digital age, and continues to remain relevant across generations. Offering a reassessment of contemporary media outlets, The Handbook of Ethnic Media in Canada asks how ethnic media have changed, why they continue to be relevant, and what impact this media sector has on ethnocultural communities as well as broader society. Building on past studies that highlight particular functions of ethnic media – publishing information that is vital to settlement and civic engagement and providing an alternative to mainstream media, among others – this volume generates insights on new dynamics of the ethnic media sector that are prevalent in the digital age. Contributors re-examine theoretical and methodological approaches to ethnic media research, explore the practices of ethnic media along cultural, linguistic, and religious lines, and interrogate the policies that affect ethnic media production and consumption. At its core, the question of how Canadians engage with ethnic media is a question about what this media sector means for the sociocultural, economic, and political integration of Canadians, both majority and minority, and Canada’s race relations. The Handbook of Ethnic Media in Canada provides a rich resource for anyone concerned about the role media plays in the complex relationship between ethnicity, race, belonging, and marginality.