Screenscapes of e-Religiosity in India

This book deals with three different subjects: geography, social media and religion equally to discuss e-religiosity in terms of screenscapes that shaped digital socialization processes wherein the role of digital devices in general and smartphones in particular are considered crucial and critical.

Format: Hardback
Length: 163 pages
Publication date: 04 April 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive book delves into three diverse subjects: geography, social media, and religion, with a primary focus on exploring e-religiosity within the context of screenscapes that have shaped digital socialization processes. The author emphasizes the crucial role of digital devices, particularly smartphones, in shaping these processes. The spatial dimension forms the foundation of the book, as both space and place are examined in the digital manifestations of spatial sense. Religiosity is approached from various perspectives, encompassing spirituality, social theories, religions, and images. The book employs illustrative examples to enhance its understanding of image politics, a concept that becomes particularly relevant in the age of digital technologies. Image politics plays a significant role in the digital era, as the production and reproduction of images extend beyond commercial purposes and become intertwined with politics. Politicians often leverage these images to score political points against their opponents.

The book covers contemporary digital discourses of e-religiosity, focusing on screenscapes that dominate daily discussions across social media platforms. Screenscapes are regarded as mediated technologies, enabling individuals to access and construct or deconstruct their views, narratives, discourses, ideas, emotions, and perceptions surrounding religious images in their daily activities, practices, rituals, customs, traditions, faiths, and beliefs. The illustrations used in the book exclusively depict Indian religious gestures, identities, values, and rituals within digital-spatial contexts.

The book addresses seven major questions and presents compelling arguments across the chapters, employing diverse representations and interpretations. These questions explore how religiosity has evolved in the digital age, the dimensions of e-religiosity in India, how digital devices are reshaping religiosity, and the impact of digital technologies on religious practices and beliefs.

Overall, this book offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of e-religiosity in the digital age, shedding light on the complex interplay between technology, society, and religion. It provides valuable insights for scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in understanding the evolving landscape of religiosity in the contemporary world.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031288500
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023