Issues in Modern Religious Thought: “Don’t Touch that Dial!” American Religion and Mass Media WT
From silent movies to Jesus Christ Superstar, from radio gospel hours to The Simpsons, American religion has infiltrated the air waves. What does that mean for religion? What does that mean for media? What does the interplay of religion and mass media tell us about our experience of each? This course will explore the convergence of mass media and religion in the twentieth century through the use of interpretive texts and visual primary sources. We will consider not just how religion and mass media influence each other as separate cultural entities, but more particularly how the practice of religion has emerged and is reflected in media culture. 3 hrs. sem.