Religion, Media, and Culture Unit

The Religion, Media, and Culture Unit invites individual presentations, paper/multimedia research presentation sessions, and roundtable proposals on the following themes.

A. Independent Sessions:

1. Media Propaganda and the Sacred Canopy: Proposals that investigate the tactics of state-affiliated or state-supportive messaging, how the powerful speak about themselves and “others.” Examples could include the “Project Firewall” initiative from the U.S. Department of Labor, “Defend the Homeland” recruitment campaigns from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), “Godi media” in India, Israeli “hasbara,” Putin’s “Novorossiya” project, a “Patriots Only” Hong Kong, and more. What kind of future does such propaganda envision or seek to create? How does such propaganda act to deliver and/or reify the imagined worldviews of a political base?

2. Media Tactics of Resistance: Proposals that investigate “futures” entailing heavy surveillance, censorship, oppression, and/or rebellion – e.g., V for Vendetta (2005), Sorry to Bother You (2018), Blood Quantum (2019), and One Battle After Another (2025). Studies of games, graphic novels, and other media are welcomed. We also encourage studies of the resistant media tactics observed in instances of non-fiction – that is, social media campaigns, public protests, and civic organizing. Should enough quality papers be submitted, this session may warrant a co-sponsorship with the Indigenous Religious Traditions Unit.

3. Celebrity Media: Proposals that investigate the parasocial nature of online fascinations with celebrity – “haters” and “stans” alike. Examples include the meme glorification of Luigi Mangione, Charlie Kirk’s public assassination and subsequently mediatized hagiography and martyrdom, “trad wife” criticisms of Taylor Swift, and Sydney Sweeney’s racially-charged “Great Jeans” advertisement. What is the future of “stan” culture (cf. Stans, 2025), our socio-emotional connection with mediatized public figures? 

4. Horror Media: Proposals that investigate the intersection of religion and horror (of any medium). Topics of dark supernaturalism, monstrosity, and madness are encouraged. Examples could include Ryan Murphy’s MONSTER anthology series or films such as Lamb (2021), Late Night with the Devil (2023), Heretic (2024), The Substance (2024), and The Carpenter’s Son (2025). Proposals could also investigate the use of “futurity” as a fictional construct or setting in horror, or the “future” of horror as an entertainment industry. Topics of apocalypticism and dystopia are encouraged. Examples could include Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror anthology series.

B. Co-Sponsored Sessions:

5. The FUTURE of Teaching and Learning: Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom (co-sponsored between the Religion, Media, and Culture Unit, Teaching Religion Unit, and Class, Labor, and Religion Unit): We welcome presentations that (1) analyze and/or demonstrate innovative teaching methods/styles using various A.I.-answer engines, per past experience or future teaching plans; (2) evaluate any obstacles that arise when A.I. enters the religious studies classroom; and (3) address the future of academic labor as related to AI. Potential concerns include plagiarism convenience, threats to academic integrity, “hallucination,” inaccuracy, and bias deficiencies, “homogenized” thought, and compromises to student attention and effort. Proposals should consider how our work as educators is being affected by both changes to the university and AI; how the growing movement towards teaching, grading, and writing using AI tools affects our work.

6. Teaching Islam, Gender, and Women with Multimedia (co-sponsored between the Religion, Media, and Culture Unit, Islam, Gender, and Women Unit, and Religion and Popular Culture Unit): This pedagogy-focused session invites educators at all levels to share an effective use of multimedia (film clips, online videos, music, digital or real life art/museum exhibitions, social media posts, or other audiovisual materials) in teaching topics related to Islam, gender, and women. Each presenter will lead a breakout table in discussion on pedagogical goals, learning outcomes, and practical strategies for fostering critical engagement about their chosen multimedia resource for about 50 minutes, followed by 5-7 minutes of summation for all attendees.

Proposals should (1) identify the selected multimedia material and explain its relevance; (2) describe the themes it addresses and the classroom conversations it opens; and (3) offer concrete teaching strategies, activities, and/or assignments that participants can adapt for their own courses. We especially welcome presentations that model a brief segment of the proposed classroom activity, allowing attendees to experience the material as students. Note that accepted presenters will be required to submit their slide deck or electronic materials  by XDATE for inclusion in the program book.

Religion, Media, and Culture supports the Islam, Gender, and Women Unit’s commitment to non-traditional formats for its sessions on scholarship related to the study of gender and women in Islam. Proposals that do not conform to these non-traditional formats, or variations to it, will not be considered.

7. “Sportswashing” and “Reputation Laundering” (for a possible co-sponsored session with the Religion, Sport, and Play Unit): Proposals that investigate the complex religious and political dynamics at stake in the rising global economies of the future. Consider the example of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 campaign, the controversies surrounding the Riyadh Comedy Festival (2025), WrestleMania 43 (2027), their hosting of the FIFA World Cup (2034), and the ongoing LIV professional golf tour. How do these national events detract from a country’s otherwise tarnished image, rehabilitating public opinion through sports worship and sacred leisure time? How is “sportswashing” used in more developed countries such as the United States? How are U.S. Americans equally culpable within these business dynamics? What role does religion play here either as a co-participant in the state’s dealings or as a source of critique? Studies of China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and others are also encouraged. 
 

8. Open Call: We solicit research-based papers and pre-arranged panels on any topic related to the study of religion, media, and culture, from any region or time period.

RMC is committed to diversity and inclusivity. Pre-arranged panels should reflect gender and racial/ethnic diversity as well as diversity of field, method, and scholarly rank as appropriate. We strongly prefer papers that include audio/visual media and ask that proposals make use of media clear. We are also particularly interested in session proposals and presentations that break from traditional paper-reading formats. We encourage panels that propose innovative ways to develop collaborative conversation, especially those that allow for timely analysis of current events.