Document details

Religion and Politics in a Mediatized Society: Critical Analyses and Spheres of Interinfluence in Nigeria and Beyond

Lanham et al.: Lexington Books (2023), x, 157 pp.

Contains index

ISBN 978-1-66690-829-9 (hbk); 978-1-66690-830-5 (ebook)

"The dynamics of religion and religious practices are examined using various communication theories and paradigms to extrapolate how religion is designed, packaged, disseminated, and interpreted among Nigerians. Contributors trace the evolution and development of this problem to colonialism. The contributors measure the impact of religious media messages from three perspectives: the impact of the messages themselves; the impact of the medium used in transmitting the message as in the McLuhan philosophy, “the medium is the message”; and the impact from the power of the source – the religious or political leaders (Opinion Leader) who exert influence on opinion followers. In this book, the contributors examine how religion is considered a propagandistic venture whereby capitalism and monetary gain are the norms, minimizing core religious values, traditional teachings, and methods of worship." (Publisher description)
Introduction: Intersections and Interinfluences of Media, Religion, and Politics / Bellarmine A. Ezumah, 1
1 The History ofthe Major Religions in Africa and Religious Colonialism / Charles A. Ebelebe, 19
2 Islamic Intellectuals and the Quest for Reform in Nigeria: An Analytical Discourse / Acheme Ramson, 35
3 Normative Theoretical Analyses of Religion, Media and Politics in Nigeria / Olunifesi A. Suraj, 49
4 Global Conflicts: The Direct Connection to a Sustained Religious Conversion Campaign / Chika Okpalike, 71
5 Media as the New Areopagus: Proposing Theological Truth to Media’s Manufacture of Consent / Ayodele Ayeni, 93
6 Religion, Politics, and Freedom of Religion in Contemporary Conflict Resolution / Chukwuemeka Nwosu, 123
7 Political and Religious Literacy: How Media Literacy Placed Sub-Saharan Africa in a Disadvantaged Position / Acheme Ramson, 135