Navigating Identity and Advocacy in Media

Over the past decade there has been an explosion of online religion writing. New publications continue to emerge and, with them, new kinds of writing and writers. There are more and more ways for scholars to share their expertise and knowledge with academic and popular audiences alike. At the same time, there are a growing number of journalists interested in covering religion well. Not only are these two fields growing, but they are starting to intersect and even blur. This conversation brings together scholars, journalists, and editors to talk about the present and future of online public writing about religion and to answer questions such as: “What does this work mean for the future of religious studies and for the thinking about religion beyond the academy?” and “How do we train scholars and journalists to get jobs and do them well?” Panelists: - Kali Handelman, Center for Religion and Media at New York University, presiding - Brook Wilensky-Lanford, Killing the Buddha, Chapel Hill, NC - Simran Jeet Singh, Trinity University - Patrick Blanchfield, New York University This discussion was recorded at the 2016 AAR Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, on November 20.