Bridging Babel: Interfaith Dialogue & New Social Media

Although interreligious and intercultural conflicts are as old as time, globalization and immigration have brought the world to a global tipping point. With tensions at an all time high, we no longer have the luxury to simply overlook our differences and live our lives in utter ignorance. After all, it is this mentality that has caused much of the religious and cultural turmoil we are currently experiencing. In an effort to counteract the conflict, and build bridges of understanding and respect between cultures and religions, countless organizations and communities are turning to the Internet and new social media to reach a larger audience. This is our goal at Interfaithing, and we see first hand every day the power the Internet and new social media have in connecting religiously and culturally diverse people from around the world so we can learn from each other, dispel misconceptions and stereotypes, and grow a more compassionate and peaceful world.

New social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter have exploded over the past few years with millions of active users around the world. There is no doubt that new social media can be a very powerful tool, but how effective is it in building interreligious and intercultural understanding? And what are the best practices for using new social media in our ongoing quest for peace?

As versatile and practical as new social media is, it can be equally confusing and overwhelming. To help solve the mystery of new social and media and interfaith dialogue, a select group of Georgetown undergraduate students recently released the results of a study entitled “Bridging Babel: New Social Media and Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding”. Organized by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs' 2009-2010 Undergraduate Fellows Program, the students conducted and compiled information from 39 in-depth interviews with scholars, religious and interfaith leaders, and technology professionals. The experts in religion, culture and technology provided a vast variety of insights and opinions into the benefits and challenges of new social media, which the students then summarized and compiled into the report. The students also conducted research for the study through a paper survey at the Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009 in Melbourne, Australia, and online outreach through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The 38-page report is a wealth of information and insight into one of the fastest growing fields of technology and how it is being used to educate and communicate religious and cultural understanding and respect. First, the report looks at and defines the different types of new social media and “dialogue”, and outlines how different people and organizations are effectively combining the two. Next, the report goes into the research by first explaining the interview process, then revealing the results from the perspectives of new social media experts, religious and academic leaders, and interfaith organizations. Following the study results is a fantastic “FAQ” section about using social media to foster interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue, and the concluding statement.

Among some of the highlights, the report shows an increase among faith-based communities using new social media to communicate with current members and attract new ones. Furthermore, although the various experts disagreed on many different points, they all agreed that, “online tools have no inherent positive or negative power, and that dialogue depends less on the particular online medium than on the quality of the conversation and the goodwill of the participants.” Ultimately, the success of new social media in fostering interfaith dialogue depends on flexibility and willingness to experiment, well-defined goals, and choosing which online tools to use carefully.

Bridging Babel was created with the direction and editorial assistance of Michael Nelson, Visiting Professor of Internet Studies in Georgetown’s Communications, Culture, and Technology Program, Sara Lichterman, a Master’s candidate in the Communication, Culture, and Technology Program, and Melody Fox Ahmed, Director of Programs and Operations at the Berkley Center.

To download Bridging Babel in PDF format, click here.

Website: http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/...-understanding