Transmedia Religions

Transmedia Religions: From Representations to Propaganda Strategy

Chapter in FREEMAN, M. and RAMPAZZO GAMBARATO, R., The Routledge Companion to Transmedia Studies, pp. 364-372.

By M-E. Carignan

This chapter summarizes the relationship between transmediality and religion. Starting from the first transmediated manifestations of religious phenomenon, I observe how the emergence of mass media and new digital technologies influenced the development of transmedia strategies by religious organizations. To demonstrate this evolution, the chapter takes a more specific look at the comprehensive transmedia propaganda strategies put in place by the Islamic State for taking advantage of the synergistic functions of various media platforms, raising important questions about the role of mass media in these strategies.