Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
This study examines how social media platforms shape encounters with religious “others” across diverse cultural contexts, focusing on Muslim users in Pakistan and Buddhist/Christian users in Hong Kong. Through qualitative interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, we identify key patterns in how th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Social Media + Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241303363 |
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| _version_ | 1846149048714657792 |
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| author | Shoaib Ul Haq Ray Yiu-keung Kwok |
| author_facet | Shoaib Ul Haq Ray Yiu-keung Kwok |
| author_sort | Shoaib Ul Haq |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines how social media platforms shape encounters with religious “others” across diverse cultural contexts, focusing on Muslim users in Pakistan and Buddhist/Christian users in Hong Kong. Through qualitative interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, we identify key patterns in how these platforms both facilitate and constrain meaningful interreligious dialogue. We find that while religious social media can expand exposure to diverse perspectives, it often reinforces in-group boundaries and amplifies polarization through echo chamber effects. Our findings further reveal that users engage in selective exposure, primarily interacting with like-minded believers, while also developing new competencies as “religious bridge-builders” in some cases who cultivate new competencies for interreligious communication. We develop a theoretical framework of “digital othering” to explain how believers navigate religious identity, knowledge, and community in online spaces. By adopting a cross-cultural comparative approach, the study contributes to our understanding of religion in the digital age, offering insights into the culturally specific manifestations of digital othering while also identifying broader patterns that transcend particular contexts. This research advances the field of digital religion studies, providing a nuanced understanding of how social media reshapes religious expression, authority, and interreligious relations in an increasingly digitized global society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abf8debbd2054cb3ae00e3544c1c3d36 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2056-3051 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Media + Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-abf8debbd2054cb3ae00e3544c1c3d362024-11-30T07:03:23ZengSAGE PublishingSocial Media + Society2056-30512024-11-011010.1177/20563051241303363Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural AnalysisShoaib Ul Haq0Ray Yiu-keung Kwok1University of Greenwich, UKCollege of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, ChinaThis study examines how social media platforms shape encounters with religious “others” across diverse cultural contexts, focusing on Muslim users in Pakistan and Buddhist/Christian users in Hong Kong. Through qualitative interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, we identify key patterns in how these platforms both facilitate and constrain meaningful interreligious dialogue. We find that while religious social media can expand exposure to diverse perspectives, it often reinforces in-group boundaries and amplifies polarization through echo chamber effects. Our findings further reveal that users engage in selective exposure, primarily interacting with like-minded believers, while also developing new competencies as “religious bridge-builders” in some cases who cultivate new competencies for interreligious communication. We develop a theoretical framework of “digital othering” to explain how believers navigate religious identity, knowledge, and community in online spaces. By adopting a cross-cultural comparative approach, the study contributes to our understanding of religion in the digital age, offering insights into the culturally specific manifestations of digital othering while also identifying broader patterns that transcend particular contexts. This research advances the field of digital religion studies, providing a nuanced understanding of how social media reshapes religious expression, authority, and interreligious relations in an increasingly digitized global society.https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241303363 |
| spellingShingle | Shoaib Ul Haq Ray Yiu-keung Kwok Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis Social Media + Society |
| title | Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
| title_full | Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
| title_short | Encountering “the Other” in Religious Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
| title_sort | encountering the other in religious social media a cross cultural analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241303363 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shoaibulhaq encounteringtheotherinreligioussocialmediaacrossculturalanalysis AT rayyiukeungkwok encounteringtheotherinreligioussocialmediaacrossculturalanalysis |