Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RELIGIOMICS (Religion and Comics: New Forms of Mediation of Religion)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-09-01 al 2026-08-31
RELIGIOMICS aims at capturing new forms of religion and spirituality represented and experienced in comics by both artists and audiences. Considering the growth of comics production and consumption, this project is crucial for understanding the transformations of religious phenomena in Western societies and their relationships with popular culture. RELIGIOMICS investigates the relationship between comics and religion, by studying: 1) the artists’ subjectivities and biographical paths, 2) the intertwined influences between the artistic production and religion, 3) audiences’ receptions and 4) the transformation of the comics field. RELIGIOMICS proposes a cross-national comparative perspective focusing on artists and audiences, with different religious and cultural backgrounds in Europe and the USA. It is innovative in considering comics as a medium for religious expression and not only as an instrument of commodification and banalisation of religion. It is multidisciplinary as it combines and connects sociology of religion, comics studies, media studies, and sociology of art. RELIGIOMICS will address the following questions: (RQ1) How do comics artists live and represent religion and spirituality? (RQ2) How does the comics medium shape, and how is it shaped by, religion and spirituality? (RQ3) How are religious narratives and symbols experienced by the audiences of comics? (RQ4) How did religion favour the emergence of the semi-autonomous artistic field of highbrow comics in tension with commercial comics?
The project was carried out for one year, due to the Principal Investigator’s acceptance of a tenure-track position at another institution. Consequently, the work performed and the resulting achievements are limited in scope.
Within RELIGIOMICS, several comics artists and informants close to the artists were interviewed, exploring themes of artists’ religiosity, morality, and aesthetics. Furthermore, the project collected 176 online survey responses from comics readers, investigating how readers live and experience comics, particularly in relation to religious themes.
In addition, the Principal Investigator conducted ethnographic fieldwork on the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) in Salem, Massachusetts—a contemporary religious movement inspired by Aleister Crowley (1875–1947). This movement has exerted a profound influence on several artists relevant to the RELIGIOMICS scope (e.g. Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Joseph Michael Lisner), as well as on major figures in popular culture (e.g. the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie). Notably, many O.T.O. members are artists themselves and regard these figures as spiritual authorities. Within this movement, art is conceived not only as a medium for representing religion but also as a mode of living it.
Within RELIGIOMICS, several comics artists and informants close to the artists were interviewed, exploring themes of artists’ religiosity, morality, and aesthetics. Furthermore, the project collected 176 online survey responses from comics readers, investigating how readers live and experience comics, particularly in relation to religious themes.
In addition, the Principal Investigator conducted ethnographic fieldwork on the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) in Salem, Massachusetts—a contemporary religious movement inspired by Aleister Crowley (1875–1947). This movement has exerted a profound influence on several artists relevant to the RELIGIOMICS scope (e.g. Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Joseph Michael Lisner), as well as on major figures in popular culture (e.g. the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie). Notably, many O.T.O. members are artists themselves and regard these figures as spiritual authorities. Within this movement, art is conceived not only as a medium for representing religion but also as a mode of living it.
The dominant scholarly framework in the study of religion and comics is the theory of mediatization, which explains how media influence, shape, and ultimately decontextualize or commodify religion for entertainment, thereby promoting individualism and consumer behavior. This notion of “banal religion” or “hyper-religion” suggests a process of disenchantment and disengagement, in which religious narratives are stripped of their traditional political or spiritual value.
The scientific novelty of RELIGIOMICS lies in challenging this reductive “banal religion” paradigm. While comics are undoubtedly products of the cultural industry, framing them merely as entertainment overlooks the personal, spiritual, and artistic quests of many bestselling creators—several of whom have been deeply involved in religious or esoteric movements. Moreover, their explicit political commitments (for example, against colonialism) often clash with the idea of a disenchanted and disengaged art.
In response, the project proposes employing the category of mediation, arguing that media (in this case, comics) are not simply external forces influencing religion but are integral to the religious experience itself. RELIGIOMICS also hypothesizes that comics can function as instruments for living religion—not only for artists but also for their audiences.
During the first and only year of the project, the Principal Investigator collected data on both artists and audiences, although full analysis could not be completed. Preliminary findings appear to confirm the main hypothesis that comics act as a medium of religious mediation. However, the research also highlights significant variation in how religion is approached by artists and readers. For some, art and religion are inseparable, and comics are considered instruments for education and inspiration (comics as sacred art). In other cases, the relationship between religion and art is more ambiguous: both artists and readers may not embrace specific religious identities or practices but engage with ethical issues through religious narratives (comics as ethical art). Only a minority view comics purely as secular entertainment, disconnected from ethical or spiritual values.
The scientific novelty of RELIGIOMICS lies in challenging this reductive “banal religion” paradigm. While comics are undoubtedly products of the cultural industry, framing them merely as entertainment overlooks the personal, spiritual, and artistic quests of many bestselling creators—several of whom have been deeply involved in religious or esoteric movements. Moreover, their explicit political commitments (for example, against colonialism) often clash with the idea of a disenchanted and disengaged art.
In response, the project proposes employing the category of mediation, arguing that media (in this case, comics) are not simply external forces influencing religion but are integral to the religious experience itself. RELIGIOMICS also hypothesizes that comics can function as instruments for living religion—not only for artists but also for their audiences.
During the first and only year of the project, the Principal Investigator collected data on both artists and audiences, although full analysis could not be completed. Preliminary findings appear to confirm the main hypothesis that comics act as a medium of religious mediation. However, the research also highlights significant variation in how religion is approached by artists and readers. For some, art and religion are inseparable, and comics are considered instruments for education and inspiration (comics as sacred art). In other cases, the relationship between religion and art is more ambiguous: both artists and readers may not embrace specific religious identities or practices but engage with ethical issues through religious narratives (comics as ethical art). Only a minority view comics purely as secular entertainment, disconnected from ethical or spiritual values.