Religious Organizations in the Public Sphere. Communication and Reputation in an Era of Digital Change
Researchers Involved
Prof. Dr. Mark Eisenegger
Dr. Lisa Schwaiger
M.A. Jörg Schneider
Camille Nchakga
research areas
timeframe
2021 - 2024
Religious Organizations in the Public Sphere. Communication and Reputation in an Era of Digital Change
The project addresses the question of how religious organizations and world religions describe themselves and are described by others in the (digital) media-based society. Of particular interest are the dynamics of topics in public discourse and the logic of reputation formation of religious organizations under the conditions of the digital transition.
The aim of this project is a comprehensive consideration of media coverage of religious organizations and world religions, in traditional as well as social media. In addition, we examine the perception of religious organizations among the Swiss population.
The project employs a multi-method approach, including quantitative population surveys, qualitative discourse analyses as well as quantitative and computer-assisted analyses of media content and social networks. By combining classic and digital methods and critical reflection on the results, the project promises to provide a comprehensive view of the objects of research.
The public relevance of the project derives from the assumption that media-mediated communication has a decisive influence on how religion and its organizations are perceived by the public. Topics discussed in the media and on digital platforms as well as the reputational dynamics of the organizations examined here are made available to the general public in the form of a report published at regular intervals.
Background
Digitalization has transformed how religious organizations communicate in the public sphere and – vice versa – how they are negotiated. This leads to dynamics of media reputation.
Research Questions
RQ1: How do digital and social change influence the descriptions of religious (Christian) organizations via legacy and social media? Through which topics are they negotiated and how is their reputation constituted?
RQ2: How are world religions and alternative forms of religion negotiated in the (digital) public sphere?
Project Aim
The project aims to theoretically and empirically describe reputation dynamics of religious organizations in the digital public sphere using a multi-method approach. We further want to establish a regular topic monitor to illustrate how religious organizations and world religions are negotiated in the media.