Sarcouncil Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract: Democratic participation among U.S. citizens is constrained by challenges such as political polarization, declining civic engagement, and digitally mediated misinformation. Yet, there exists limited studies that explore the potential of humanities-based approaches in strengthening democratic engagements in the digital era. This scoping review examined humanities-based and media literacy approaches to civic education, aiming to map pedagogical strategies and their contributions to democratic engagement. Eight studies encompassing qualitative research, systematic reviews, and conceptual analyses were reviewed and synthesized. Findings indicated that digital and popular media serve as critical spaces for shared learning, identity formation, and civic engagement, particularly among marginalized youth. Media literacy, equity-centred pedagogy, and active experiential strategies (e.g., simulations, service learning, and primary-source analysis) foster critical thinking, interpretive skills, and civic discourses. However, gaps exist in the implementation, evaluation, and long-term outcomes of these approaches. Nevertheless, humanities-based approaches offer promising frameworks to cultivate informed, critically engaged citizens prepared for participatory democracy in the digital era.