Religious "Interpersonal Network Proximity" and the Case for Recognition

This thesis addresses the secular societal transition away from traditional, tight-knit forms of community to a more networked model. This social shift is interesting to consider in tandem with theories of secularization that emphasize the rise of an individualized social imaginary. Within a networked society, individuals remain inherently communicative and thus retain the ability to cultivate social capital in new and interesting ways. This has implications for religion as religious communities can also be seen as increasingly networked. Such developments might have the potential to challenge more traditional forms of religious authority. In light of these ideas, a consideration of philosophical understandings of recognition can prove helpful when determining how marginalized religious individuals might create new networked communities through which contemporary modes of recognition could be generated. Through this process, social media resources may serve to increase networking capabilities and thus the potential to cultivate a form of social capital that is ethically grounded in a mode of recognition for which justice is the ultimate goal.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Religious Studies

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Bartel, Megan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Joy, Morny

• Religion--Philosophy of

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27617

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/1836