In recent years, the place of popular culture within the school curriculum has become an increasingly controversial political issue. Academic studies of media audiences have questioned the view of young people as passive victims of ideological manipulation and the behaviourist notions of "effects" on which they are often based. The first part of this book provides a detailed analysis of students' uses and readings of a range of popular cultural media - ranging from Nintendo computer games to The Sun newspaper. Part two seeks to identify possibilities and strategies for educational interventions. It analyzes various oppositional relationships including students' subcultural and emotional investments in popular culture and the rational, analytical approach of academic discourse. This book seeks to address broader theoretical questions about the educational and political processes involved in teaching and learning about popular culture.