Religion and Politics in a Mediated Society: Critical Analyses and Spheres of Interinfluence in Nigeria and Beyond edited by Bellarmine A. Ezumah, Charles A. Ebelebe, and Olunifesi A. Suraj contextualizes the hegemonic relationship of religion and politics in Nigeria and beyond as well as the role media plays as the vehicle which distributes, imbibes meaning, and shapes the interpretation of religion and politics. The dynamics of religion and religious practices are examined using various communication theories and paradigms to extrapolate how religion is designed, packaged, disseminated, and interpreted among Nigerians. Contributors trace the evolution and development of this problem to colonialism. Other causal factors are explored and solutions to this social and cultural menace are proposed. The contributorsmeasure the impact of religious media messages from three perspectives: the impact of the messages themselves; the impact of the medium used in transmitting the message as in the McLuhan philosophy, "the medium is the message"; and the impact from the power of the source - the religious or political leaders (Opinion Leader) who exert influence on opinion followers. In this book, the contributors examine how religion is considered a propagandistic venture whereby capitalism and monetary gain are the norms, and this minimizes, and in some cases, thwarts the core religious values and traditional teachings and methods of worship. Ultimately, they recommend media literacy as a tool and skill to ameliorate the negative impact of political and religious misinformation disseminated via the media.
Bellarmine A. Ezumah is associate professor and director of the graduate program in the Journalism and Mass Communications department at Murray State University. Charles A. Ebelebe, CSSp is academic dean of theology at the Spiritan International School of Theology. Olunifesi Adekunle SURAJ is senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos.
Preface Introduction: Intersections and Inter-Influences of Media, Religion, and Politics by Bellarmine Ezumah Chapter 1: The History of The Major Religions in Africa and Religious Colonialism by Charles Ebelebe. Chapter 2: Islamic Intellectuals and The Quest for Reform in Nigeria: An Analytical Discourse by Acheme Ramson. Chapter 3: Normative Theoretical Analyses of Religion, Media, and Politics in Nigeria by Olunifesi Suraj. Chapter 4: Global Conflicts: The Direct Connection to Sustained Religious Conversion Campaign by Chika Okpalike, Chapter 5: Media as The New Areopagus: Proposing Theological Truth to Media's Manufacture of Consent by Ayodele Ayeni. Chapter 6: Religion, Politics, and Freedom of Religion in Contemporary Conflict Resolution by Chukwuemeka Nwosu. Chapter 7: Political and Religious Literacy: How Media Illiteracy Placed Sub-Sahara Africa in A Disadvantaged Position by Acheme Ramson. About the Editors and Contributors
