Conveyed religion: a strategic communication proposal for religious institutions

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Abstract

Contemporary society has fostered a period of transformation in religious communication. Globalisation propels a communicated religion that forges a dialogue with its followers and with society as a whole. In this chapter, we aim to describe the existing situation, analysing religions as a social fact in a global society that is shaped by the movement of people and the proliferation of (traditional and new) media channels. From this perspective, religious institutions are viewed as living organisations that must accept the current context and need to develop a strategic communication plan. The chapter begins with a review of a theoretical corpus on religion, communication, and society, intersecting various reflections with theories of strategic communication and crisis communication. It aims to respond to the following question: how can religious institutions use strategic communication in the contemporary world? This is a qualitative investigation, empirically supported by interviews with two prominent figures from the Catholic Church, as a case study. The principal results of this research, based on the observation of contemporary society, include the importance of correct use of new media for strategic communication, and continuous training in order to improve strategic communication plans, that should operate on a continuous basis.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStrategic communication in context
Subtitle of host publicationtheoretical debates and applied research
EditorsSara Balonas, Teresa Ruão, María-Victoria Carrillo
Place of PublicationBraga
PublisherUMinho Editora
Pages377-398
Number of pages22
ISBN (Print)9789898974426
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jul 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Religion
  • Strategic communication
  • Crisis communication
  • Church
  • Catholic Church
  • Media
  • Social media

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