Media, religion, and modern society

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some new developments in the connection between digital media use and religion, which in turn prompted several important questions about the function and meaning of religion in modern societies to emerge. The main aim of the course is to discuss the connections between the media, digital media in particular, and religion in modern societies. During the course the students will become acquainted with key concepts of mediatization, including institutional and constructivist ones. Then, they will critically analyse how broadly understood religion (including religious institutions, communities, but also religious imagery, authority, etc.) is influenced by media use and influences media use in return. The course will touch upon such concepts as mediatization of religion, religious social shaping of technology, and digital creatives, among others.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, when gathering in churches was limited or not possible at all, many religious organizations and believers resorted to digital media. Thanks to digital technology, they could continue practicing, communicating, and supporting their community. However, this development has raised some important questions about the role of digital media in religion and their mutual influence, as well as about more fundamental issues such as the place of religion in modern societies. The course, inspired partially by this context, will focus on these questions through the lens of concepts of mediatization and digital religion, among others.

The main aim of the course is to explore and discuss the connections between the media, digital media in particular, and religion in modern societies. During the course, the students will become acquainted with key concepts of mediatization, including institutional and constructivist ones, and will be able to contrast and compare them on concrete examples. Course participants will also critically analyse how digital technologies and religion (understood broadly as religious institutions, identity, beliefs, authority, community, religious imagery, and religious discourse) is influenced by media use and influences media use in return. The course will touch upon such concepts as mediatization of religion, religious social shaping of technology, and digital creatives, among others.

During the course, the students will be expected to take part in group discussions and assignments, and pass two tests during the semester (50% of final grade), and prepare a final assignment (presentation or essay on one or more topics discussed during the course, which will account for 50% of the final grade).

Campbell, H. (2010). Exploring religious community online. We are one in the network. New York, Washington: Peter Lang, pp. 89-105.

Campbell, H. (2012). Religious Authority and the Blogosphere. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 15 (2010), pp. 251–274, link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2010.01519.x/pdf .

Campbell, H. (2021). Digital Creatives and the Rethinking of Religious Authority. London: Routledge.

Einstein, M. (2008), Brands of faith. Marketing religion in a commercial age, Routledge, pp.74-78.

Hepp, A. (2016). Pioneer communities: Collective actors in deep mediatization. Media, Culture & Society 38(6): 918-933.

Hepp, A and Hasebrink, U. (2018). Researching transforming communications in times of deep mediatization: A figurational approach. In: Hepp, A., Breiter, A., and Hasebrink, U. (eds) Communicative figurations: Transforming communications in times of deep mediatization. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.15-48.

Hjarvard, S. (2011). The Mediatisation of Religion: Theorising Religion, Media and Social Change, Culture and Religion 12(2): 119–135.

K_W01 Knows and understands basic concepts of various sub-domains of sociology (e.g. sociology of family, health, work, religion, economy, education, etc.)

K_W03 Is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various positions

K_W05 Has in-depth knowledge about regional, domestic and international institutions and the problem of European integration

K_W16 Has in-depth knowledge about major international and domestic sociological research pertaining to selected areas of social reality or sub-domains of sociology

K_W27 Has in-depth knowledge of the 19th, 20th and 21st ideas and social processes which have shaped the face of the modern world

K_U04 Can critically select information and materials for academic work, using various sources in Polish and a foreign language as well as modern technologies

K_U16 Knows how to interpret the role of culture in the life of the individual and society

K_U17 Can relate an academic text to the problems of social life and its empirical studies

K_U18 Can identify the kinds of research in which the scientific texts read can be applicable

K_U19 Can prepare a presentation of a selected problem or study in Polish and in a foreign language

K_K01 Can initiate, plan, organize and manage work of a task team

K_K02 Can propose a solution to a problem that requires an interdisciplinary research approach

K_K05 Can gather, find, synthesize and critically assess information about social sciences

K_K07 Can justify the choice of sources

K_K10 Independently sets directions of personal development and further learning

K_K14 Takes responsibility for planned and performed tasks

Na ocenę końcową składa się aktywność na zajęciach, zaliczenie dwóch testów weryfikujących znajomość zadanych lektur (50%) i prezentacja multimedialna lub esej przygotowanea na wybrany temat (50%).

Dozwolona liczba nieobecności: 2