Call for Chapters: Book on Religion and Reality (Routledge)

Call for Chapters: Book on Religion and Reality (Routledge)

Editors: Mara Einstein, Queens College (CUNY), Katherine Madden, USC, and Diane Winston, USC

We seek papers for an edited collection on religion and mediated reality, which we define to include reality TV but also "reality" in other video forms as distributed in new media platforms. Our motivating question is how and why religion works well for reality formats, and we are especially interested in articles that consider (1) historically underserved audiences (non-white viewers, working class people, believers beyond members of white Catholic and mainline Protestant  denominations); (2) representing religion and spirituality to audiences of "nones," and (3) religion as a postmodern spectacle. The proliferation of religion in the reality genre is, as we argue, a product of the ideological and policy reforms of late capitalism. In this book we hope to explore the relationship between lived religion and a media industry in flux.

Arguably, the reality genre-media presenting "unscripted" personal interactions-is currently the most popular space for religious, spiritual and supernatural themes, content and characters. Within this genre, themes common to reality television and late capitalism such as the exposition and maintenance of the self, the commodification of the sacred, the performance of authenticity, the targeting of niche markets, and the privileging of the individual over the community are transforming the mediation and practice of religion.

Correspondingly, similar themes are present in the practice of modern day religion are transforming the media landscape. The Amish are a subgenre all their own with shows like Amish Mafia; The Amish; Breaking Amish, and Amish in the City, among several others. Likewise, Mormonism is explored in shows such as Breaking the Faith; Escaping the Prophet; Sister Wives, and My Five Wives. Conservative Christians are represented in nominally secular programs like 19 Kids and Counting; Dog, the Bounty Hunter, and Duck Dynasty. And a significant number of shows look at the dynamics of African American churches, particularly through close-ups into the private lives of public figures, including Divas for Jesus; Mary, Mary; Thicker than Water, and Preachers of LA.  A supernatural genre, more spiritual than religious, includes programs that focus on paranormal activity ranging from psychics to ghost hunting.

Yet even in the most secular of reality shows-whether Keeping Up With the Kardashians; Undercover Boss, or The Bachelor franchise-religion, ethics and spirituality are ever-present themes filtered through a late capitalist lens.  Whether through their references to church, prayers to higher powers, or discussions of "proper citizenship," the importance of family and self-fulfillment, characters on these and other programs reflect the same longings for identity, meaning and purpose-the building blocks of religion-as any other neoliberal citizen. Moreover, their "lived religion," daily rituals for meaning-making that point to ultimate values and concerns, raise up what is truly central in their lives.

We are looking for papers on religion and reality (TV or digital video programming) that make use of theoretical models including lived religion and late capitalism. Given this, issues of race, class, religion, and gender will inevitably arise. Sample ideas for papers could be:

"Christly Knows Best: Queering the Southern Christian Patriarch"

"Conjuring Spirits: Ghost-Hunting Reality Television and Evangelical Spiritual Warfare"

"The Amish in the Media Panopticon"

"Women as second class church citizens in The Preachers of LA"

If you are interested, please email a 150-word description for chapters that will be approximately 6000 words to wag.katie@gmail.com by July 15th.