[Discussion] God and Popular Culture

[sule tarakcioglu]

*God and Popular Culture* Praeger Publishers, forthcoming Editor: Mary
Ann Beavis, Department of Religious Studies and Anthropology, St. Thomas
More College, Academic Editor, Journal of Religion and Popular Culture
Editorial Advisors: William Romanowski, Calvin College; Jennifer Porter,
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Michel Clasquin, University of
South Africa (Unisa). Forthcoming from Praeger Publishers, a
three-volume, edited anthology by an international team of scholars with
expertise in the field of religion/theology and popular culture.
Proposals in the areas of world religions and international perspectives
on God/religion and popular culture are welcome. The themes of the three
volumes, and possible chapter topics include, but are not limited to:
Volume 1: God in Film and Television Television: God/religion in prime
time series; Religious broadcasting; Televangelism; TV fandom as
religious experience; Portrayals of religion/s in TV news; God/religion
in made-for-TV movies; Religion in advertising; Religion and TV genres
(e.g., drama, comedy, science fiction/fantasy, soaps, horror, reality,
talk, comedy); Religion in specific TV shows ;Religious programming and
state-funded/public TV; Religion and sports broadcasting; Religion and
children's TV; Religion and "cult TV." Film. God/Religion in movie
genres (e.g., science fiction/fantasy, horror, romance, comedy,
musicals, sports movies); Portrayals of religions/religious people in
film (e.g., Catholics, evangelicals, fundamentalists, Jews, Muslims,
Hindus, clergy, nuns, etc.); Religious themes in specific movies;
Biblical epics; Jesus movies; Apocalyptic movies; Hagiographical movies;
the Christian film; Movie viewing as religious; The use of movies in
church groups ("faith and film"); Religion and "art films; Religion and
animated films; Religion in Bollywood ; Muslim filmmaking; Religion and
"cult films; Religion and film censorship. Volume 2: God and Popular
Music Religious/theological themes in popular music genres (e.g., rock,
country, pop, hip-hop, heavy metal, soul, Reggae, Bhangra;
Religious/theological themes and specific artists (e.g., Madonna, Bob
Dylan, Bad Religion; Popular music as religious; Use of popular music in
worship; Popular music as religious experience; the Christian music
industry; Religion and the rock concert; Religion in musicals; Religious
music for children; Religion and censorship of popular music; God and
world music.

Volume 3: God in Print and electronic media God/religion and comic books
(e.g., specific genres, heroes, series); God/religion popular novels
(e.g., romances, best-sellers, horror, science fiction, fantasy);
Religion in the writings of specific popular novelists (e.g., Anne-Marie
Macdonald, Barbara Kingsolver, Stephen King, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowling,
J.R.R. Tolkien); Religious reporting in the print media; Religious
identity of novels and novelists (e.g., C.S. Lewis, Hal Lindsay, Left
Behind, Christian romance novels, Salman Rushdie); Religion and the
internet; Religion and expos?s/conspiracy theories (e.g., The Bible
Code, The Da Vinci Code, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, Jesus and the Lost
Goddess).

Each volume will consist of approximately 20 chapters, 6000 words in
length.

Proposals are invited from scholars with a wide range of interests in
Religion/Theology and Popular Culture. Proposals should be submitted by
email attachment to the Editor (beavis@duke.usask.ca) in Word format,
500 words, double spaced, including title of proposed manuscript, and
author's name and institutional affiliation. In addition to the
proposal, prospective contributors should include a brief statement
listing their interests and recent publications in the area of Religion
and Popular Culture. Final submissions should be of academic quality,
but accessible to an educated, general readership. Deadline for
proposals: *September 15, 2004*. Draft manuscripts of chapters accepted
by the Editors must be received by September 15, 2005.

	Mary Ann Beavis
St. Thomas More College
1437 College Drive
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W6
Canada
(306)955 5931
(306)966 8904

Email: beavis@duke.usask.ca <mailto:beavis@duke.usask.ca>