Suchergebnisse

When the word "law" is juxtaposed with the word "religion," an American lawyer today is apt to think immediately of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution with its double protection against any governmental interference in "the free exercise" of religion on the one hand and against any governmental "establishment" of religion on the other. From the standpoint of contemporary American constitutional law, religion has become the personal and private affair of individual citizens or groups of citizens. Indeed, in recent decades our courts, in interpreting the "free exercise" clause, have gone far toward immunizing individual and group activities from governmental control, whether federal or state, whenever they are considered by the persons engaging in them to be of a religious character; and at the same time, under the "establishment" clause the courts have struck down most forms even of indirect governmental support of religion, whether federal or state.

The advent of democracy in South Africa ushered in a new paradigm for freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Public broadcasting in general and the South African Broadcasting Corporation in particular constituted critical sites where the material possibilities and impossibilities of these rights were to be defined, negotiated, and regulated. This thesis investigates the role of religion in the history and development of the South African mediascape. Substantial chapters analyse the role of religion in the banning and introduction of television under apartheid, the place of religion in the formulation of new media policy in the democratic era, and the regulatory role of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa in dealing with allegations of religious offense, blasphemy, defamation, and incitement to violence. From the television controversy in apartheid South Africa to postapartheid media policy and practice, the thesis uncovers issues of religious legitimation, religious regulation, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion in relation to the multiple configurations of religion, media, and politics. The way that the media industry and its regulatory bodies engage with religion, whether through production, dissemination, or regulation, is expected to be underlined in policy and practice by the constitutional mandate to balance freedom of expression against other rights that might be at stake in the mediasphere. Whereas freedom of expression is considered the defining framework for broadcast media, freedom of religion is subject to regulation. As the first extended study of religion and media in South Africa, this thesis shows that as a result of the deeply rooted Christian national heritage of public broadcasting and the Western Christian orientation of the constitutional democracy, Christian normative sensibilities regarding religion have been sustained within the institutional structures that govern the political economy of religion and public broadcasting.

This critical overview of the field of film and religion distinguishes three complementary approaches: the study of film as text, the investigation of how film affect audiencs, and the consideration of film and religion as agents in cultural processes. The overview concludes with a reflection on theories and methodologies of the field and some possibilities for future development.

Wie es scheint, geht es derzeit an vielen Stellen in Deutschland um die Verteidigung des christlichen Abendlandes. So prangern Rechtspopulist*innen auf der Straße oder in den Parlamenten eine (kulturelle) Überfremdung an, die besonders die christlichen Wurzeln der nationalen Kultur beschädigen soll. Diese "Gefährdungswahrnehmung" manifestierte sich maßgeblich durch die 2015 rasant gesteigerte Zuwanderung und Migrationsbewegungen nach Europa. Und viele Bürger*innen scheinen diesen Argumenten zu folgen. Doch welche Rolle spielt Religion in diesen Diskussionen? ...

"In spite of the debate about secularization or de-secularization, the existential-bodily need for religion is basically the same as always. What have been changed are the horizons within which religions are interpreted and the relationships within which religions are integrated. This book explores how religions continue to challenge secular democracy and science, and how religions are themselves being challenged by secular values and practices. All traditions - whether religious or secular - experience a struggle over authority, and this struggle seems to intensify with globalization, as it has brought people around the world in closer contact with each other. In this book internationally leading scholars from sociology, law, political science, religious studies, theology and the religion and science debate, take stock of the current interdisciplinary research on religion and open new perspectives at the cutting edge of the debate on religion in the 21st century"--EBL book details.