The International Study Commission on Media, Religion and Culture

will hold a Consultation in Association with the School of Applied Communication, RMIT


in Melbourne, Australia
July 10-14, 2005

The program Chair is Dr. Peter Horsfield

Housing Information for Participants:
Ibis Hotel
Therry Street
Melbourne  Vic  3000
Australia
Tel (61-3) 9666.0066
Fax (61-3) 9666.0052
Email H1564-RE03@accor.com.

Program

Sunday, 10th July, 2005
Breakfast

Hotel

9.00am

Visit to Sikh Gurdwara – worship & lunch

Early afternoon -

Return to city

4.00pm

Commission meeting

Orientation & discussion on Australian culture

Dinner – 7.30pm

Donovans, St. Kilda

Monday, 11th July, 2005
Breakfast

Hotel

Day

Consultation: “What’s interesting about religion, spirituality and media in Australian culture?”

9.30 Gather, Morning coffee

10.00–12.00 Official greetings, Session

12.00-1.00 Lunch

30. Session

2.30-3.00 Afternoon tea

3.00-4.00 Session

Guest participants:

Des Cahill, Paul Teusner, Bruce Best, John Baldock, Barney Zwartz, Rachael Kohn, Peter Thomas, Minnie Kairu

To be confirmed

Philip Hughes, Chris McGillion, Pradip Thomas, Muslim rep?

Dinner

Borsaris, Lygon Street

Tuesday, 12th July, 2005
Breakfast

Hotel

Day

Trans-Tasman Research Symposium:

“Emerging research in media, religion and culture.”

8.30 – 9.00am Coffee

9.00-9.15 Welcome and opening remarks. David Morgan

9.15-11.00 Session 1 Chair:

• Muriel Porter, “Resurgent Christian fundamentalism in Australia and the media’s role in its development.”

• Heather Kavan and Beth Houston, “Twilight of the press: The media’s coverage of Falun Gong in Australia and New Zealand.”

• Ann Hardy, “Destiny breaks through media screens; culture struggles in Aotearoa/New Zealand.” 

Session 2 Chair:

• Lynn Schofield Clark, “Pop culture meets pop religion: Fashion bibles, bhangra parties and Muslim pop.”

• Lucy Wright, “From animism to anime: The possibilities of spiritualism and transcendence in anime and science fiction media

• Paul Teusner, “The media’s influence on young people’s religious language and imaginings.”

11.00-11.30 Break

11.30-12.45 Session 3 Chair:

• Tim Bulkeley, “Web-based hypertext as a medium for biblical teaching”

• Lorraine Bower, “Christian religious identity in tertiary educational institutions: A study of Christian graphic design.”

Session 4 Chair:

• Jolyon Mitchell, “Reviewing violent film”

  • Peter Horsfield, “Mel Gibson’s The Passion and the resacralisation of culture.”

12.45-1.30 Lunch

1.30-3.00 Session 5

• Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, “Grottos, prayer pilgrimages and religious iconography in Ghanaian Roman Catholicism”

• Minnie Kairu, “Media, religion and globalisation in Kenya: A study of broadcast miracle ministries.”

• David Morgan, “The role of print in early British missions in Asia”

3.00-3.30 Afternoon tea

30. Session 6

Future Directions in Research on Media, Religion and Culture

Chair: Lynn Schofield Clark

Presenter: Stewart Hoover

4.30 Finish

7:00 Dinner

Piraeus Blue, Brunswick Street

Wednesday, 13th July, 2005
Breakfast

Hotel

Morning

Meeting and discussion with Islamic Council of Victoria

Lunch

TBA

Early afternoon

Free time

4.00pm

Commission discussion on core questions

Dinner

Toh Toh, Victoria St Richmond

Thursday, 14th July, 2005
Breakfast

Hotel

9.00am

Travel to Narana Aboriginal Centre, Geelong

10.00-2.30pm

Sessions on aboriginal culture, history & issues

Lunch, organized by Narana, including bush tucker.

2.30pm

Ferry across the bay to Rye

4.00pm

Pre-dinner drinks & Commission wrap-up at Born-Horsfields

7.00pm

Dinner: Still Water, Crittenden's Winery at Dromana

Friday, 15 July, 2005

Breakfast

Hotel

Transport to airport

For further info contact Dr. Peter Horsfield or Adán M. Medrano