Online religious learning

Digital epistemic authority and self-socialization in religious communities

Bibliographic Data

ID21785408
AuthorsAkiva Berger (0000-0002-9177-6087, University of Haifa, corresponding author), Oren Golan (0000-0003-3203-809X, University of Haifa)
Year2024
Volume49
Issue2
Pages274-289
Publication date2024-04-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLearning Media and Technology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1743-9884 • E-ISSN: 1743-9892
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17439884.2023.2169833
OpenAlexW4317830392
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited26

Over the past two decades, the internet has become a central platform affording lay-learners access to a multiplicity of experts. While these outlets empower lay-learners, they create competition amongst clerical and knowledge authorities. This article addresses the question: how is religious authority understood and negotiated by learners, and in turn, how do they evaluate authoritative sources. Twenty-six in-depth think-aloud interviews were conducted with Religious-Zionists in Israel on their internet sourcing practices. Findings uncovered four strategies employed when sourcing information online: (1) Generating a reliable source network based on the learners’ social and primordial affiliations. (2) Complexity based sourcing practices stemming from learners’ uncertainty in their ability to autonomously attain a satisfying answer. (3) Fitting an appropriate source to queries based on their availability and prestige. (4) Negotiating learner's autonomy in a particular field of knowledge based on the social or epistemic norms that govern it

Autonomy · Knowledge management · Negotiation · Political science · Prestige · Public relations · Social science · Socialization · Sociology · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Law · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology

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