Utilizing textual analysis and in-depth interviews of self-identified Christian participants ages 18-35 (n=20), this dissertation explores the way Comedy Central's The Colbert Report portrays Christianity, how young Christian viewers negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to the show, and what this negotiation says about the religio-political landscape of Christian emerging adults (19-29) (Arnett, 2004) in the United States. I conclude that The Colbert Report provides a contextual occasion for critical religio-political reflection, and that Christian emerging adults of myriad Christian subcultures negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to The Colbert Report to varying degrees as they select differing reference points within the show as a means of shaping and strengthening previous and ongoing identity markers.
","abstract_html":"<p>Utilizing textual analysis and in-depth interviews of self-identified Christian participants ages 18-35 (n=20), this dissertation explores the way Comedy Central's <em>The Colbert Report</em> portrays Christianity, how young Christian viewers negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to the show, and what this negotiation says about the religio-political landscape of Christian emerging adults (19-29) (Arnett, 2004) in the United States. I conclude that <em>The Colbert Report</em> provides a contextual occasion for critical religio-political reflection, and that Christian emerging adults of myriad Christian subcultures negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to <em>The Colbert Report</em> to varying degrees as they select differing reference points within the show as a means of shaping and strengthening previous and ongoing identity markers.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dierberg, Jill Elizabeth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lynn Schofield Clark, Ph.D.","Diane Waldman","Antony Alumkal"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:03Z","subjects":["Colbert","Emerging adults","Identity","Christian Denominations and Sects","Religion"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/798","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lynn Schofield Clark, Ph.D.","Diane Waldman","Antony Alumkal"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Dierberg, Jill Elizabeth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2001-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Colbert","Emerging adults","Identity","Christian Denominations and Sects","Religion"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Searching for Truth(iness): Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults Through a Reception Study of the Colbert Report"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lynn Schofield Clark, Ph.D.","Diane Waldman","Antony Alumkal"],"dc:creator":["Dierberg, Jill Elizabeth"],"dc:date.available":["2001-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Utilizing textual analysis and in-depth interviews of self-identified Christian participants ages 18-35 (n=20), this dissertation explores the way Comedy Central's The Colbert Report portrays Christianity, how young Christian viewers negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to the show, and what this negotiation says about the religio-political landscape of Christian emerging adults (19-29) (Arnett, 2004) in the United States. I conclude that The Colbert Report provides a contextual occasion for critical religio-political reflection, and that Christian emerging adults of myriad Christian subcultures negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to The Colbert Report to varying degrees as they select differing reference points within the show as a means of shaping and strengthening previous and ongoing identity markers.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/798"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Colbert","Emerging adults","Identity","Christian Denominations and Sects","Religion"],"dc:title":["Searching for Truth(iness): Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults Through a Reception Study of the Colbert Report"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:03Z"}