This research intends to study the relationship between faith, media exposure, and national identity construction of youth in Pakistan. The purpose is to ascertain the level of influence of foreign and local media con...This research intends to study the relationship between faith, media exposure, and national identity construction of youth in Pakistan. The purpose is to ascertain the level of influence of foreign and local media consumption on national identity formation in terms of collective self-esteem and self-image of youth with high and low level of religiosity. A survey has been conducted from students （n = 321） between the age group of 16-19 living in Lahore. The results of this study revealed that respondents with high religiosity did not prefer to consume foreign media （r = -0.435＊＊ p 〈 0.01） whereas they did not show much preference to consume Pakistani media, either （r = 0.138＊, p 〈 0.05）. The level of religiosity and positive national identity had a strong and significant positive correlation （r = 0.619＊＊, p 〈 0.01）. This study also found that those respondents who preferred to consume foreign media texts demonstrated lower self-esteem and negative self-image as Pakistanis as compared to those who did not prefer foreign media consumption （r = -0.427＊＊, p 〈 0.01）. The researcher assumed that being Pakistani, a respondent would prefer to consume more national media texts over foreign and would have more positive national identity. However, results did not support this premise （r = 0.159＊＊, p 〈 0.01） due to the fact that the respondents did not show preference to consume Pakistani media at first hand. The study also connects theoretical understanding of faith and identity in Pakistani perspective along with an additional factor of media consumption. Thus, it strengthens the argument that strong faith positively contributes towards consolidating an individual＇s identity construction process. However, the results demonstrate that media tend to play a limited role in the process of identity construction compared to family and peers among Pakistani youth.展开更多
Social theorists have engaged religion as a social agent and submitted that it has the capacity to foster positive and negative changes in the society. Milton Yinger, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx lead the pack among ...Social theorists have engaged religion as a social agent and submitted that it has the capacity to foster positive and negative changes in the society. Milton Yinger, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx lead the pack among other sociologists. The need to therefore interrogate religion as an agent of social engineering cannot be overemphasized normatively and functionally. One of the implications of such engagement is that religion; study and practice need to respond to issues in the society. Basic challenges facing the Nigerian nation are issues of poverty, diseases, corruption, and illiteracy. However, in Nigerian universities, the situation posits that religion is studied with theological intentions based on the curriculum bequeathed by the missionaries that laid the foundation for the academic study of religion in Nigeria leading to exclusive and reductionist approaches to its study. There is also government policy that placed emphasis on science and management courses for development. The situation has led to reduction in students＇ enrolments for the study of religion in Nigerian universities. Therefore, this paper seeks explanations for the non-functional design（s） of the curriculum for the academic study of religion in universities, southwest of Nigeria. Descriptive and analytic methods were adopted in the study to pursue the thesis that the academic study of religion in Nigeria should be rebranded and repackaged to respond and interrogate social challenges/problems, such as the scourge of HIV/AIDS plaguing the society thereby recreating a new social identity and relevance for its study.展开更多
Which is the true religion？ In the Middle Ages, the parable of the three rings, in all its versions, is a subtle answer to this question, which uses a persuasive allegory. The allegory of the three rings refers to a ...Which is the true religion？ In the Middle Ages, the parable of the three rings, in all its versions, is a subtle answer to this question, which uses a persuasive allegory. The allegory of the three rings refers to a previous allegory, represented by three gems, one real and two fakes. The religion of the philosophers was born from the hidden meaning of the same allegory： universalism, brotherhood of men as children of the one and only God, the transcendence of a single God that cannot be reduced to any particular representation, and love for one＇s neighbors. The three sons who receive the inheritance of the ring, given by their father, are all loved by him and all three receive a gem that could be the real one. The similarity of the position of the three sons is equivalent to the moral element shared by the three religions： All those who believe in God and his justice put into practice the fundamental teachings of the philosophers. The meaning of the allegory is evident： None of the three sons can claim with certainty the possession of the real ring, but precisely because of this their faith can remain clear, removed from the temptation of pursuing someone because of that person＇s religion.展开更多
The role of religious groups in the political field has arised in Africa in 1990s and despite being less visible it is still active. In fact, this is the climax of a very old process in Africa. Religion always partici...The role of religious groups in the political field has arised in Africa in 1990s and despite being less visible it is still active. In fact, this is the climax of a very old process in Africa. Religion always participates in politics and vice versa. It is therefore not surprising that religious groups take into account political preoccupations in their communication processes. Sometimes they get involved in political debates, particularly when the questions reveal very important choices for the Nation, as it was the case in 1960s and 1990s. But mostly, they get involved in the social field which is, for them, the key to have one foot in political field. However, beyond these considerations, this paper intends to show how the use of media by religious institutions is closely related to their understanding of the relationship between the religion as an institution, and the society.展开更多
文摘This research intends to study the relationship between faith, media exposure, and national identity construction of youth in Pakistan. The purpose is to ascertain the level of influence of foreign and local media consumption on national identity formation in terms of collective self-esteem and self-image of youth with high and low level of religiosity. A survey has been conducted from students （n = 321） between the age group of 16-19 living in Lahore. The results of this study revealed that respondents with high religiosity did not prefer to consume foreign media （r = -0.435＊＊ p 〈 0.01） whereas they did not show much preference to consume Pakistani media, either （r = 0.138＊, p 〈 0.05）. The level of religiosity and positive national identity had a strong and significant positive correlation （r = 0.619＊＊, p 〈 0.01）. This study also found that those respondents who preferred to consume foreign media texts demonstrated lower self-esteem and negative self-image as Pakistanis as compared to those who did not prefer foreign media consumption （r = -0.427＊＊, p 〈 0.01）. The researcher assumed that being Pakistani, a respondent would prefer to consume more national media texts over foreign and would have more positive national identity. However, results did not support this premise （r = 0.159＊＊, p 〈 0.01） due to the fact that the respondents did not show preference to consume Pakistani media at first hand. The study also connects theoretical understanding of faith and identity in Pakistani perspective along with an additional factor of media consumption. Thus, it strengthens the argument that strong faith positively contributes towards consolidating an individual＇s identity construction process. However, the results demonstrate that media tend to play a limited role in the process of identity construction compared to family and peers among Pakistani youth.
文摘Social theorists have engaged religion as a social agent and submitted that it has the capacity to foster positive and negative changes in the society. Milton Yinger, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx lead the pack among other sociologists. The need to therefore interrogate religion as an agent of social engineering cannot be overemphasized normatively and functionally. One of the implications of such engagement is that religion; study and practice need to respond to issues in the society. Basic challenges facing the Nigerian nation are issues of poverty, diseases, corruption, and illiteracy. However, in Nigerian universities, the situation posits that religion is studied with theological intentions based on the curriculum bequeathed by the missionaries that laid the foundation for the academic study of religion in Nigeria leading to exclusive and reductionist approaches to its study. There is also government policy that placed emphasis on science and management courses for development. The situation has led to reduction in students＇ enrolments for the study of religion in Nigerian universities. Therefore, this paper seeks explanations for the non-functional design（s） of the curriculum for the academic study of religion in universities, southwest of Nigeria. Descriptive and analytic methods were adopted in the study to pursue the thesis that the academic study of religion in Nigeria should be rebranded and repackaged to respond and interrogate social challenges/problems, such as the scourge of HIV/AIDS plaguing the society thereby recreating a new social identity and relevance for its study.
文摘Which is the true religion？ In the Middle Ages, the parable of the three rings, in all its versions, is a subtle answer to this question, which uses a persuasive allegory. The allegory of the three rings refers to a previous allegory, represented by three gems, one real and two fakes. The religion of the philosophers was born from the hidden meaning of the same allegory： universalism, brotherhood of men as children of the one and only God, the transcendence of a single God that cannot be reduced to any particular representation, and love for one＇s neighbors. The three sons who receive the inheritance of the ring, given by their father, are all loved by him and all three receive a gem that could be the real one. The similarity of the position of the three sons is equivalent to the moral element shared by the three religions： All those who believe in God and his justice put into practice the fundamental teachings of the philosophers. The meaning of the allegory is evident： None of the three sons can claim with certainty the possession of the real ring, but precisely because of this their faith can remain clear, removed from the temptation of pursuing someone because of that person＇s religion.
文摘The role of religious groups in the political field has arised in Africa in 1990s and despite being less visible it is still active. In fact, this is the climax of a very old process in Africa. Religion always participates in politics and vice versa. It is therefore not surprising that religious groups take into account political preoccupations in their communication processes. Sometimes they get involved in political debates, particularly when the questions reveal very important choices for the Nation, as it was the case in 1960s and 1990s. But mostly, they get involved in the social field which is, for them, the key to have one foot in political field. However, beyond these considerations, this paper intends to show how the use of media by religious institutions is closely related to their understanding of the relationship between the religion as an institution, and the society.
