Religion and Media in the public sphere

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Ability to navigate and assess scholarly literature, concepts and debates on the relationship between religion, media and the public sphere Build up critical media competence. Conduct an independent research on the role of religion in the public sphere Engaging in media research as well as media usage. Religion is prominent in public debates, in the media, and in the cultural imaginary of people's daily life, no matter whether they see themselves as believers or not. In turn, religions also "make use" of media and mediation, creating symbolic representations and special experiences, be it through architecture and music, images and narratives, or through clothes, body practices or TV and the internet. The course focuses on how the relationship between religion and media can be studied and how this can Our concept of media will reach beyond TV and internet: scripture and dance, money and microphones are means of mediating religion as well. We will ask, what is a medium, how are religions depicted in the media, how do religions act on and react to new media, and how can religion be understood as mediation while often claiming to provide "immediate" experiences? Students will sign up for an "expert group" on one of the weekly reading. On successful completion of this module, students should be able to: 1. Distinguish and reproduce approaches to the study of religion and 90 media and demonstrate knowledge about the interaction between religion and media in historical perspective 2. Conceptualise key terms (medium/mediation, religion, public sphere 3. Describe, analyse and discuss the role of mass media in the contemporary religious field; explain and interpret the diverse media performances in religion as a lived cultural practice. 4. Present and impart knowledge through media, and develop a critical media competence.