Call for papers - workshop: Digital religion – online spirituality
November 10.-12.11 2022, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic
The workshop aims to discuss and conceptualize the influence of new communication technologies on forming contemporary church communities and authorities. It concerns an interdisciplinary area that examines to what extent traditional religious practice adapts to the digital environment and how aspects of digital culture form life patterns of offline religious groups. It is evident that online religious practice influences the contemporary community of believers, and new unchurched receivers of the content and spiritual practice are impacted much more than ever before. (Campbell, Evolvi, 2020) The largest group of Twitter followers of Pope Francis are non-religious persons, while the smallest group are Catholics (Narbona, 2016).
The workshop will feature, but is not limited to, the following three interconnected dimensions:
- I) Online spirituality: digital religious communities and religious practices online
II) Religious influencers online: changes in religious authorities in the time of new media
III) Ethics in media representation of spirituality and religion
The workshop aims to connect researchers who study changes in spirituality/religion in connection to online media, share their up-to-date research findings, and discuss possibilities for further joint research as the secondary aim is to create an international research network that could apply to Europe‘s research funding (e.g., Twinning projects), in the future.
If you would like to participate in the workshop, please send us an abstract (up to 300 words, excluding references) of the conference paper and your short bio (up to 200 words). Please, email your abstracts and short bio to dr. Renata Sedláková: renata.sedlakova@upol.cz
Workshop webpage: https://www.ethicsinmedia.eu/digital-religion
Deadline for abstract submission: 31st July 2022