Using Media to Teach Religious Studies. Reflections on Second-order Mediatisation of Religions : Journal for Religion, Film and Media

Abstract

In terms of media theories, teaching religious studies provides a second-order mediatisation of religious phenomena – a mediatisation of phenomena already mediatised by religious traditions. That tension needs to be reflected upon, as it raises a number of questions before we even reach the classroom. Furthermore, in class another tension comes to light, between teaching objectives and their limits. By formulating a hypothesis and problematising these tensions, this article develops a strategy based on the application of a concept of “competence acquisition”. How this strategy might look in a teaching scenario is demonstrated from an introductory seminar on Islam.