Critical thinking and media literacy will be particularly important as Finland prepares for the elections this spring. Here are five books that will help you interpret the media and identify some of the ways in which they are trying to influence you. Don’t believe everything you read, check the facts.
For more books on this topic, see the selection on HAMK Finna homepage until the beginning of May.
 Johnston, K. R. & Pollock, B. (2023). HBR Guide to Critical Thinking. Ascent Audio.
How do you sort through conflicting information and decide on the best course of action? By changing the way you think. Learn how to question your assumptions, keep an open mind and respect other viewpoints, recognize and avoid cognitive bias, and learn to tolerate ambiguity. |
 Carpenter, P. (2024). Faik: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions. John Wiley and Sons.
This is a much-needed book on how to separate truth from fiction during the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Carpenter discusses the dangers and risks of generative AI while showing how to use it safely. You will learn about the mechanics of deepfakes, disinformation and other security threats, and how to counter them. |
 Ribeiro, N. (2025). Media and Propaganda in an Age of Disinformation. Routledge.
Propaganda, a deliberate attempt to sway public opinion, is an old concept that has never been as important as today. We just call it by other names more suitable to the digital environment: disinformation, misinformation, fake news, trolling. This collection of articles explore propaganda through a variety of case studies, showing us how public opinion is being molded by deception and lies. |
 Baker, F. W., & Considine, D. (2009). Political campaigns and political advertising: A Media Literacy Guide. Greenwood.
This is a great introduction to the blandishments and spins of political campaigns. The authors discuss the persuasive strategies of political messages and highlight the importance of critical thinking and evaluation. The book covers both traditional media (newspapers, tv & radio) and the internet, though much has happened online since its publication in 2009. |
 Potter, W. J. (2019). Seven Skills of Media Literacy. SAGE Publications.
Finally, a practical how-to guide on coping with the disinformation rampant in the media. Potter identifies seven major skills of media literacy and provides us with bot theory and exercises we can use to develop these skills, starting with analysis and evaluation and ending with synthesizing and communicating. |
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