Growing Up Degrassi: Television, Identity and Youth Cultures [Paperback]

Michele Byers (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2005

With a Preface by Geoff Pevere and an Introduction by Mary Jane Miller. This is the first collection of its kind to explore this widely recognized television series. Sixteen essays bring together scholars and fans of "Degrassi Junior High", "Degrassi High" and "Degrassi: The Next Generation" to examine the pivotal role the series has had in shaping Canadian youth identity over the past twenty-five years. In the first two sections, Degrassi and Youth Cultures and Building Identity on Degrassi, contributors look into topics ranging from how technology and media have shaped character identity and viewer devotion, to the critical contemporary issues of the AIDS crisis among young adults. The third section, Web Sites, Fan Clubs & Reminiscences, is a celebration of Degrassi fandom. In her afterword, Linda Schuyler comments on the twenty-five years it has taken to build the remarkable phenomenon called Degrassi and why it deserves to be both celebrated and critiqued for its unique place in television and youth cultures. Contributors: Michele Byers, Rebecca Haines, Kylo-Patrick Hart, Mark Janson, Sherrie Jean Katz, Jennifer MacLennan, Ryan Robert Mitchell, Ravindra Mohabeer, Tom Panarese, Mark Aaron Polger, Bettina Spencer, Laura Tropp, Brian Jones & Michael Strangelove

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michele Byers is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sumach Press (September 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894549481
• ISBN-13: 978-1894549486
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,619,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Insightful Essays on Degrassi in Society and in Life, December 30, 2006

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KatCool "katcool" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Growing Up Degrassi: Television, Identity and Youth Cultures (Paperback)

I have watched the Degrassi series from its inception through today and this book is a wonderful look at what makes this series still if not more popular than ever before. Degrassi is cutting edge, insightful, and a cultural icon that is still the best embodiment of contemporary teenage life available on television. The shows were well scripted and well acted by real teens going through everyday life with problems and taking us along on their journey through their perspective. We grew up with this cast - from Joey, Snake, Spike, Wheels, Caitlin and the rest of the school from teen years to young adults. We laughed, we cried, we angered, we rebelled, and we suffered with them through it all and still learned that life isn't perfect and actions have consequences which we all must face and share. It was daring, tough, honest, and bold in storylines and in content. It has always been just ahead of its time yet seems to capture just what teens are going through now - whether in Canada or elsewhere. It has universal appeal. And to this day, the new generation of Degrassi still reflects contemporary teen issues and the reality of just growing up. Yes, this book is definitely a must-read wonderful series of stories meant to be thought provoking as well as educational on the history and the impact of this compelling series. I would highly recommend it to any fan of Degrassi as well as anyone who wants an understanding of teen culture in general.