Teaching Religion and Media: Syllabi and Pedagogy

Abstract

This study explores the pedagogy of Religion and Media. The topic has garnered growing attention in recent years (Stout, 2012) and the sheer array of classes is a testament to its status as a lively growing topic. This study takes a nonnormative, exploratory approach to uncover four key categorical approaches to how the topic of religion and media is taught in universities. The methodology included a textual analysis of 48 syllabi and interviews with professors who teach religion and media.

Notes

¹ There are a number of classes, which touch upon the topic of Religion and Media, which were excluded because it was not the dominant topic of the class, including “Ethics in News Media” and “Mass Media Ethics.” Media specific classes such as “Religion and American Film,” “Religion and Games,” and “Christianity and Popular Culture” were included because, while specific to certain media or religions, they remain within the topic of Religion and Media.