Media and New Religions in Japan
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Language: eng
Number of pages: 192
ISBN-13: 9780415659123; 9780203075036
Subjects: Religion: general; Asian history
Description: Japanese "new religions"shinsh?ky? have used various media forms for
training, communicating  with  members, presenting  their  messages, reinforcing or protecting 
the image of the leader and potentially attracting converts. In this book, the complex and dual 
relationship between the media and new religions  is  investigated  by  looking  at  the  tensions  
groups  face  between  the need  for  visibility  and  the  risks  of  facing  attacks  and  
criticism  through  the media.  Indeed,  media  and  new  technologies  have  been  extensively  
used  by religious groups not only to spread their messages and to try to reach a wider audience, 
but also to promote themselves as a highly modern and up-to-date form of religion appropriate for a 
modern technological age. In the 1980s and early 1990s, some movements, such as Agonsh?, K?fuku no 
Kagaku and Aum Shinriky?, came into prominence especially via the use of media (initially pub- 
lications, but also ritual broadcasts, advertising campaigns and public media events). This created 
new modes of ritual engagement and new ways of inter- actions between leaders and members. The aim 
of this book is to develop and illustrate particular key issues in the wider new religions and 
media nexus by using specific movements as examples. In particular, the analysis of the inter- 
action  between  media  and  new  religions  will  focus  primarily  on  three  case studies 
predominantly during the first period of development of the groups.

Notes: English.