Cultural Construction of Religious Communication：A Case Study on Tzu Chi Culture and Communication Foundation

• Main Authors: Mun-Mei Shen, 沈孟湄
• Other Authors: Li-Li Chin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/71654948828176998509

博士 === 世新大學 === 傳播研究所(含博士班) === 100 === Given that almost no research has specific studied the cultural construction of religious communication, this study is intended to fill this gap by exploring the linkage of religion, media and cultural interaction. The purposes of this study are：(1) to describe and interpretive the interaction pattern about religion, media and culture,(2) to examine the cultural construction about broad socioculture and the organizational culture. This research treats religious communication as a cultural phenomenon to further explore the development and characteristics of religious communication in Taiwan. Culture derives meanings in social interaction through symbolic forms of meaning production, extension and transformation. The conceptual framework of this research is based on religion, media and cultural interaction. First, the background of religious communication and religious media development are explored to further develop the history of religious communication in Taiwan and its social participation of social and cultural construction. This research takes Tzu Chi Culture and Communication Foundation as an example to conclude the nature and practical characteristics of religious communication. This research intends to clarify that “Religious Communication” is not a simple act of preaching or the dual “instrumental” discourses religious media usage. It further contends that region is mediated to preach religious beliefs through media, which is a system of meaning interpretation- a process of meaning exchanging. In the mediated context, the media play the roles of a much more complicated and diverse social practices. Symbols and meanings are exchanged, coordinated, and transformed within the media to further provide reference frameworks of cultural network. The research results indicate that the meanings of religious communication represent divergence, relatively fluid and dynamic linkages. Religion mediated though media woven into political and economical social construction definition. The meanings of communication were selected and reorganized to reshape communication content. The meaning of religious communication is no longer fixed in religious beliefs, ideals or religious claims, but translated, exchanged and reinterpreted. Based on these understandings, this research further explored how the political deregulation impact the relationship between religions and media. Religion transformed from “buying media” to “managing media”- being independent and non-profit, and further organized, professionalized, and finally institutionalized. The target audiences of religious communication were no longer the followers but the publics. The contents were no longer limited in religious beliefs but the social meaning construction, from religious level to public level. The role of religious media was also promoted to participator in public sphere to agenda setters. Finally, the research found that the leader (founder) of the religious organization plays an important role in religious organizational culture, shaping the cognition of religious media roles and goals. During the process of culture construction, organizational culture provide socialization strategies for the organization. Tzu Chi Culture and Communication Foundation integrated internal cultures through five organizational socialization strategies, shaping the collective identities, sense of organization and loyalty. Insiders pass on the elements of organizational culture to strengthen organizational identity. They might not be well equipped the management skills or religious beliefs, but they are best representatives of profound experiences of Tzu Chi for endeavors organizational identity. Therefore, they are able to provide practical meanings for new comers to further reinforce the shared organizational identity.