Through a National Lens Darkly

Religion as a Spectrum

Authors

  • Enqi Weng Deakin University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.36770

Keywords:

religion, sacred, mediation, mediatisation

Abstract

When religion is invoked in Australian sociocultural and political negotiations, religion tends to be politicised predominantly through institutionalised, racialised and gendered perspectives. Further, discussions frequently employed narrow interpretations of religion. This understanding of religion only partially reflects the religious condition in Australia and is not fully representative of it in its substance and nuance, nor breadth and depth. This argument is based on an examination of Australian news media’s construction, depiction and representation of discourses on religion in national debates. Using the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s discussion program Q&A as its subject, the study argues for a broader understanding of religion, viewed as a spectrum.

Author Biography

  • Enqi Weng, Deakin University

    Dr Enqi Weng completed her PhD from the School of Media & Communication at RMIT University, Australia in 2018. She is a Research Fellow on the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Project ‘Religious Diversity in Australia: Strategies to Maintain Social Cohesion’ and teaches media and religious studies units at Deakin University.

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Published

2019-11-06

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Weng, E. (2019). Through a National Lens Darkly: Religion as a Spectrum. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 32(1), 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.36770