Interreligious Dialogue, Media and Youth · Group 2] • Survey, questionnaire with over 200 ......

Interreligious Dialogue, Media and Youth

By, Alton Grizzle, Programme Specialist in Communication and Information, UNESCO, [email protected]

With Autonomous University of Barcelona, Thesis Director, Professor José Manuel Tornero

Presenter

Presentation Notes

This presentation combines results from two separate research studies.

mailto:[email protected]

• Analysis of six major religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism) of the world and secular groups as a whole.

• Study was done primarily through content analysis of national press in UK and Jamaica.

• The top five religions and the secular groups were chosen on the basis of ‘followership’.

• Four newspaper titles (The Gleaner, The Guardian, the Times and Daily Mail) were analysed

• Six hundred and twenty (629) articles were reviewed: 116 in the Gleaner; 200 in the Guardian; 210 in the Times; and 103 in the Daily Mail

Representation of Religion in Britain and Jamaica Press

Presenter

Presentation Notes

major and minor religions are represented in the press in Britain and Jamaica Judaism was chosen over Sikhism as the six religion, though the number of adherents for the later is greater than the former, because of the significance of the Jews to global geopolitics See K. Dodds & D. Atkinson (eds), Geopolitical Traditions? Critical Histories of a Century of Geopolitical Thought. Routledge: London. 1998 For the selections of issues/dates a composite week sampling procedure was used and following four-year time intervals (plus the year 2011): 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2011. The year 1989 was used as a starting date to ensure that the fourth period coincides with the year 2001 (9/11).

Citizens’ Responses to MIL Competencies: Youth Perspectives on Interreligious Dialogue and Media

Main Research Questions • Are citizens’ attitude towards participation/engagement

in democratic discourses and governance processes, on such issues as FOE, FOI, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, quality media, gender equality, privacy, and radical/extremist content online, different consequent to MIL competencies?

• Methodology and Instruments • Designing and creating the MIL MOOC. • Athabasca University (Moodle) [Treatment

Group 1 – Control Group 1] • Autonomous University of Barcelona

(MOOC) [Treatment Group 2 – Control Group 2]

• Survey, questionnaire with over 200 variables plus other methods and tools (journaling, forum discussion, tutors’ observation, focus groups and interviews)

I used Dobbelaere’s definition, religion is “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to a supra-empirical, transcendent reality that unites all those who adhere to it into a single moral community (Silk, 2000, p 48).”

Definition of Religion

Presenter

Presentation Notes

There are many definitions for religion. For this study

Few Findings from the research on Representation of Religion in Britain and

Jamaica Press

Religion - The Guardian (UK)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Sixty-four percent (64%) of the articles in the Guardian made reference to Islam. This was more than thrice that of references to Christianity - 20% (without specific reference to Protestantism and Catholicism) and more than twice Protestantism (30%) and Catholicism (27%). Judaism was addressed in 18% of the article.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Thirty-two percent (32%) of the articles referred to Christianity as a whole without any specific reference to Protestantism and Catholicism. Twenty-three percent (23%) of the articles, however, focused on Protestantism and 25% on Catholicism. Islam followed with 21% of articles. When combined, references to Christianity far outstrips that of Islam by almost 4:1; 80 - 21% respectively. Over the period considered, there were no articles focused on the other four religions and groups of no faith for example, Secular, Agnostic etc. See Figure 2.

Figure 8: Source of the Article - The Guardian (UK)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Official statements or documents from non religious body, religious officials and adherents of religions were among the most frequent sources used in articles reviewed from the Guardian; occurring in 41%, 37% and 41% respectively. Religious scholars and official statement/document of religious bodied were less frequently used at 4% and 15% respectively.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Official statements or documents from a religious body were not used as sources in any of the articles considered. On the other hand, official statements or documents from a non-religious body accounted for 15% of the articles reviewed. In many cases where the article did no specify or refer to exact sources, the reporter or news agencies as indicated in the by line were used as the source i.e. 32% and 26%, respectively. See Figure 3.

Out of 116 articles reviewed

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Presentation Notes

The action of a religious officials and actions of adherent of religions occurred most frequently as the main subject in 24% and 35% of the articles considered, respectively. 3% of the articles highlighted the negative influence of a particular religion and 4% positive influence. Subjects relating to inter/intra religious dialogue, freedom of religion and inter/intra religious dialogue were among the lowest frequency occurring in fewer than 2% of the articles considered. Freedom of religion did not occur as a main subject in any of the articles and inter/intra-religious conflict only in less than 4%.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The main subject of the articles considered was a key category in the coding schedule. This category was divided into three groupings (Main, Secondary, Passing reference) mapped onto thirteen possible subject areas related to religion, to form the matrix in Table 1 above. The subject areas are not exhaustive but sufficiently encompasses the primary themes the researcher intended to focus on. The vast majority of the articles considered had one or more of the subject areas listed as the main or secondary subject of the article. The positive influence of religion, action of a religious officials and actions of members of religions occurred most frequently as the main subject in 26%, 24%and 17% of the articles considered, respectively. 14% of the articles highlighted the negative influence of a particular religion as main subject. Subjects relating to inter/intra religious dialogue, freedom of religion and inter/intra religious conflict were among the lowest frequency occurring in fewer than 4% of the articles considered. Freedom of religion did not occur as a subject in any of the articles and inter-religious dialogue only in less than 3%.

Tone of Article for the Gleaner 26

17

41

29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Neutral report ofan event

Opinionated in anegative tone

Opinionated in apositive tone,

Opinionated in amixed tone

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The majority of the articles were opinionated with a positive and mixed tone. That is 36% and 25% respectively. Those that were opinionated with a negative tone accounted for 15%.

Tone of Article for The Guardian (UK)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The majority of the articles were opinionated with a positive and mixed tone. That is 36% and 25% respectively. Those that were opinionated with a negative tone accounted for 15%.

Few findings from the research on Citizens’ Responses to MIL Competencies:

Youth Perspectives on Interrreligious Dialogue and Media

65%

16%

19%

Do you think interreligious dialogue is different from intercultural dialogue?

Yes (Y) No (N) No answer

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

21 88

371

583

23

Interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs is of importance to me and the development of my country.

D (A2) N (A3) A (A4) SA (A5) No answer

1.92% 8.04%

33.88%

53.24%

2.10%

10

23

105

374

557

26

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

SD (A1)

D (A2)

N (A3)

A (A4)

SA (A5)

No answer

I think the media and other information providers in my country should promote interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs.

0.91%

2.10%

9.59%

34.16%

50.87%

2.37%

26%

72%

2%

Have you ever had an experience where you felt that you were discriminated against because of your religion or belief?


16%

28% 50%

6%

If you have had an experience where you felt that you were discriminated against because of your religion or beliefs, did you do something about it?

Yes (A1) No (A2) not applicable (A3) No answer

697

363

35 0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800


Do you pay attention to or participate in debates relating to interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs in your country?

63.65%

33.15%

3.20%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Yes (Y)

No (N)No answer

Do you advocate for interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs? 62.74%

33.70% 3.56%

636

364

62 33

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1

Would you consider getting involved in a group that promotes interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs?

Yes (A1) No (A2) Already part of such a group (A3) No answer

3.01% 5.66%

33.24%

58.08%

145

118

142

186

139

504

576

279

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

community radio

national radio

national TV

newspaper

writing letters

posting on social networks, blogs etc. (Specify which in comments)

word of mouth

not applicable

Which media do you use to advocate for interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs?

13.36%

27.57%

24.13%

6.65%

8.90%

6.80%

5.65%

6.94%

94%

2% 4%

Do you think women/girls and men/boys should have equal rights to express their religion and beliefs?


278

770

47

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1

Do you think you should have the right to say what you want about another person’s religion or beliefs, even if this causes embarrassment but no serious harm to another

person?


4.29%

70.32%

4.29%

12 19

124

443 476

21 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

SD (A1) D (A2) N (A3) A (A4) SA (A5) No answer

I think journalists and the media should have responsibility to promote for interreligious dialogue and respect for other religions or beliefs.

1.10% 1.74%

11.32%

40.46% 43.47%

1.92%

5

19

113

449

490

19

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

1

I think libraries, archives, and museums should be places where information about different religions and beliefs is made available.

No answer SA (A5) A (A4) N (A3) D (A2) SD (A1)

1.74%

44.75%

41.00%

10.32%

1.74%

0.46%

Series1

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

SD (A1)D (A2)

N (A3)A (A4)

SA (A5)No answer

12 13 87

421 538

24

I value others who are from a different religion or who have different beliefs from the norm in my country.

1.10% 1.19%

7.95%

38.45% 49.13%

2.19%

79%

19%

2%

Do you believe that your religious background or beliefs influence how you see the world around you?


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1

811

256 28

Do you believe that your views of other religions and beliefs are influenced by the media, what you read in books and see on the Internet?


2.01%

23.38%

74.06%

1003

76 16

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200


Do you have close friends who are from different religion or have different beliefs than yours?

91.60%

6.94% 1.46%

Few Discussion Points

• Global citizenship in the digital age calls for this marriage between intercultural, interreligious competencies and MIL competencies to realize intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

• Dialogue is part of the construction of self-identity and self-determination

• This merger of competencies opens up the opportunity for citizens to engage with technology, the media, libraries as well as information providers, including those on the Internet, through a three- stage process necessary to achieve interreligious and intercultural dialogue:

1. Understanding the ethos of one’s religion or culture and that of others. This is the spirit or the character of

religions or cultures; the thinking of those practicing that culture.

2. Through self-introspection and communal exchanges, learn to appreciate differences. This does not imply a necessity to accept or to choose to practice the differences in another culture. But at least one should embrace pathos – to empathize with the differences.

3. Then through true and open dialogue agree on the logos – a common word or understanding that can lead to religious tolerance and cultural exchange and cooperation.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The concept of “dialogue” assumes the participation of several players. It means that citizens have a key role in the reception of information, whether it is to critically evaluate the contents of information or to promote accountability. It is by conversing with one another that we actualize our beliefs, that we reconsider our positions on tolerance and freedom This merger of competencies opens up the opportunity for citizens, in a global and digital context, to consciously, actively, independently and collectively engage with technology, the media, libraries as well as information providers, including those on the Internet, through a three- stage process necessary to achieve intercultural dialogue: Stages 1 and 2 are a combination of reflexivity and what Leeds-Hurwitz (2013) calls “Seeing from other perspectives/ world views, both how [they] are similar and different”.

• This relates to what Frau-Meigs, refers to as “self-management as well as engagement”. She uses the term “civic agency.

Information, media and technology, when combined with MIL, are introducing opportunities for: 1. Reduction intolerance and increase understanding across political or cultural boundaries.

2. Citizens from all around the world to easily communicate thus enabling more cultural exchange.

3. Understanding that defending freedom of the press also refers to the protection of freedom of culture

and religion. In this sense, MIL encourages a diversity of opinions.

4. Social vigilance and critical faculties at a time when anyone can post anything on the Internet. Some challenges if not effectively remedied by MIL could undermine the freedom of expression in virtual spaces.

5. Helping overcome disinformation but also stereotypes and intolerance conveyed through some media and in online spaces.

6. Empowerment of citizens with competencies to hold media and other information professionals accountable

Presenter

Presentation Notes

As the capacity of human groups to act cooperatively on common issues in spite of diverging views.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Interreligious dialogue: a dimension of intercultural dialogue Religion is a part of culture. Interreligious dialogue is therefore central to the discussion in future MILID Yearbooks. However, religion is so sacrosanct to those who believe, that the representation of religion in media and information becomes an extremely sensitive topic. Like culture, religious beliefs and practices transcend countries and borders. In many countries, citizens, whether through face-to-face encounters or mediated by technology and media, are challenged to respond to or tolerate religious beliefs and practices that they may consider as foreign or as an invasion. With so many conflicts around the world that are underpinned by religious differences and atrocities carried out in the name of religion, public discourse on interreligious dialogues becomes an imperative. The media and new technologies can become important channels for religious conversation. They become vectors of information to those who believe and those who do not. However, who should drive this public discourse? Should it be professional journalists, information specialists or researchers? Should it be dialogue only among those of a religious faith? Or should it be among those who believe and those who do not? MIL challenges individuals and society to reflect on their own religious ideas and beliefs. It enables us to juxtapose our beliefs with that of others; to observe and respect differences and to find common grounds for tolerance. Individuals and society must think about the authenticity and accuracy in which their religions are being represented, or perhaps not represented at all. Through a critical analysis of the representation, change can be effected and sensationalized misrepresentations can be corrected. Media and information literate individuals can identify whether only one aspect of an entire religion is being discussed continuously, thus not presenting a holistic image. They are able to recognize that basing knowledge or perceptions of a religion on only a small representation of the whole can be harmful – leading to misunderstanding, mistrust, and ultimately conflict. MIL, by facilitating communications, presents new opportunities for the religious to make their faith understood to the general public. Media and information literate citizens can advocate for equal treatment of the information for every religion in the media. They are aware that freedom of religion is synonymous to or is an extension of freedom of expression. In this context, they reflect on principles of liberty, of worship and tolerance and challenge stereotypes and hate speech transmitted online, in books or in the media. They are guarded against the fact that new and traditional media can be used as tools of radicalism and propaganda. Finally, MIL should enable individual and societal reflection on situations where religious beliefs and practices contravene certain human rights.

Interreligious Dialogue, Media and Youth · Group 2] • Survey, questionnaire with over 200 ......

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