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Assoc Professor Peter Horsfield

Position	Associate Professor, Communication
School / Work Unit	Media and Communication
Contact Details	+(61 3) 9925 3534 peter.horsfield@rmit.edu.au
Location	Building: 9 Level: 5 Room: 30 City Campus
Portfolio	Design & Social Context

"Peter Horsfield"

On this page:

Key activities
Qualifications
Research interests
Memberships
Supervisions
Publications

Key activities

Peter Horsfield established and is Director of the Media, Religion and Culture Research Project within the School. He teaches courses in the Communication area of the School’s onshore and offshore programs and supervises postgraduate student research at both the Master’s and Doctoral levels.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts (University of Queensland)

Bachelor of Divinity (University of Queensland)

Doctor of Philosophy (Boston University)

Research Interests

Dr. Horsfield’s current research interests lie in the broad interface between media, culture and religion, such as: the cultural characteristics of mediation of religion, media and religious institutions, historical perspectives on media and religion, spirituality and popular culture, media and ritual. Other research interests have been in media and violence, silence as communication, and apology and forgiveness.He is currently working on a monograph on the historical interaction of media and Christianity.

Dr. Horsfield was one of the early researchers into the political, social and religious influence of the American evangelical broadcasters. In the early 1990she undertook and published some of the first research and policy perspectives in Australia on the prevalence and handling of sexual abuse by religious leaders.

Memberships

Dr. Horsfield is a board member of The Media Religion and Culture Project, a not-for-profit corporation based in Chicago that is responsible for funding and support of a number of scholarly projects in the area of media, religion and culture: the biennial International Conferences in Media Religion and Culture, a Global Seminar series and the Porticus Fellowship Program for Research in Media Religion and Culture.

He was a member of the International Study Commission on Media, Religion and Culture, that ran from 1997-2005.

He is Chair of the International Management Committee for Porticus Fellowships for Research in Media Religion and Culture.

Supervisions

CompletedPhD

Alice Sherlock – “Silence defined: A critical and qualitative study of people’s definitions and everyday lived experiences of silence.” (2005)

Current PhD

Jill Powell – “The nature of creative action in the advertising profession.”
Paul Teusner – “Emerging Church bloggers in Australia: Prophets, priests and rulers in God’s virtual world.”
Jose Vallikatt, “Religious images and motifs in World of Warcraft”

Research Grants

Trans-Tasman Symposium on "Emerging Research in Media, Religion and Culture." $13,500. Funded by International Study Commission on Media, Religion and Culture. July 2005.

Media and Religion Research Fellowship Program, School of Media and Communication, RMIT. Funded by Media Religion and Culture Project, Chicago.
2007: $290,000
2008: $370,000
2009:$107,442

Publications

Books and edited volumes

Medios y creencias: perspectivasculturalesdelchristianismo en el entornomediático. Edited by Peter Horsfield , Mary Hess, Adán Medrano y Juan Carlos Henrίquez. Mexico City: Universidad Iberoamericana and Plaza y Valdés, S.A. de C.V., 2007

Emerging research in media, religion and culture. (Editor) Melbourne: RMIT Publishing, 2005

Belief in media: Cultural perspectives on media and Christianity. Co-edited with Mary Hess and Adan Medrano. London: Ashgate Press, 2004

Taming the television: a parent’s guide to children and television. Sydney: Albatross Books, 1986.

Religious television: the American experience. New York: Longman, 1984. Communication and Human Values Series.

Creative works

The Mediated Spirit. CDRom. Published by The Commission for Mission, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria. Produced by Redfish Bluefish (creative), 2002.

Book chapters

“The language of media and the language of faith.” In Faith and the media. Antwerp: UCSIA, 2009.

“Media and communications, Christian.” In The encyclopedia of Christian civilization.Four volumes.Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2009

“Media.” In David Morgan (ed.) Key words in media, religion and culture. New York: Routledge, 2008.

“Ebda-e Nemad-haye Moshtarek-e Dini: Pjuheshi dar Bab Din va Farhang Omumi,” (Innovating Common Religious Symbols: Research on Religion and Popular Culture), pp. 437-455 in Yeganeh, J., Abdollahyan, H and Abdollahyan, M. (eds.), Media and Religion. Tehran: IRIB Radio Research Office, published by Tarh Ayandeh, 2007.

“Medios, cultura y religión: una introducción,” pp. 19-30 in Peter Horsfield , Mary Hess, Adán Medrano y Juan Carlos Henrίquez (eds.), Medios y creencias: perspectivasculturales del christianismo en el entornomediático. Mexico City: Universidad Iberoamericana and Plaza y Valdés, S.A. de C.V., 2007.

“TeologÍa, iglesia y medios: contornos de un terrano cultural cambiante,” pp. 59-72 in Peter Horsfield , Mary Hess, Adán Medrano y Juan Carlos Henrίquez (eds.), Medios y creencias: perspectivasculturales del christianismo en el entornomediático. Mexico City: Universidad Iberoamericana and Plaza y Valdés, S.A. de C.V., 2007.

“Gibson’s Passion: The super-heroic body of Jesus,” pp. 167-180 in Wendy Haslem, Angela Ndalianis and Chris Mackie (eds.), Super/Heroes: From Hercules to Superman. Washington: New Academia Publishing., 2007.

“Intertextuality in Mel Gibson’s The Passion: The cultural reconstruction of Jesus.” pp. 57-67 in Peter Horsfield (ed.) Emerging research in media, religion and culture. Melbourne: RMIT Publishing, 2005.

“Media, religion and culture: An introduction.” pp.xv-xxiv In Peter Horsfield , Mary Hess and Adan Medrano (eds.) Belief in Media: Media and Christianity in cultural perspective. London: Ashgate, 2004.

“Theology, church and media - Contours in a changing cultural terrain.” pp.23-32 In Peter Horsfield , Mary Hess and Adan Medrano (eds.) Belief in Media: Media and Christianity in cultural perspective. London: Ashgate, 2004.

“Electronic media and the past-future of Christianity,” pp. 271-282 in Sophia Marriage and Jolyon Mitchell (eds.) Conversations in media, religion and culture .T&T Clark and Continuum, 2003.

“Forgiving abuse: An ethical critique,” pp. 51-70 in Marie Fortune and Joretta Marshall (eds.) Forgiveness and abuse: Jewish and Christian Reflections. New York: Haworth Press, 2002.

“Alternative frameworks for understanding and responding to professional sexual abuse by clergy,” pp. 179-188 in Christina Boechenhauer, Leah Michael, Neil Ormerod and Ann Wansborough (eds.), Violating trust: professional sexual abuse.Sydney: CAHPACA, 1998.

“Religious changes during media convergence,” pp. 167-183 in Stewart M. Hoover and Knut Lundby (eds.) Rethinking media, religion and culture. London: Sage Publications, 197. (Translated and published also in Persian)

“The Gerasene demoniac and the sexually violated,” pp.141-150 in Carol J. Adams and Marie M. Fortune (eds), Violence against women and children: a Christian theological sourcebook. New York: Continuum, 1995.

“Teaching theology in a new cultural environment,” pp. 41-54 in Chris Arthur (ed.) Religion and the media: an introductory reader. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1993. (Reprinted in an anthology for distribution at the World Council of Churches Assembly, Brazil, November 1996.)

“American religious programs in Australia.” pp.313-28 in Robert Abelman and Stewart Hoover (eds) Religious television: controversies and conclusions, Norwood, N.J.: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1990.

Refereed Journal Articles

“Contradicting realities: déjà vu in Tehran,” Journal of Media and Religion, 7 (1-2), January 7, 2008.

(With Paul Teusner), “A mediated religion: Historical perspectives on Christianity and the Internet,” Studies in World Christianity, 13 (3), 2007.

“Researching religion in a School of Media and Cultural Studies,” ACCESS, Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural and Policy Studies, 26 (2), 2007

"Down the tube: Religion on Australian commercial television," MediaInternational Australia, 121 (November 2006), pp. 136-148.

“Theology as a virtualising enterprise,” Colloquium, 37 (2) 2005, pp. 131-142.

“Intertextuality in Mel Gibson’s The Passion: The cultural reconstruction of Jesus.” pp. 57-67 in Peter Horsfield (ed.) Emerging research in media, religion and culture.Melbourne: RMIT Publishing, 2005.

“Continuities and discontinuities in ethical reflections on digital virtual reality,” Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 18 (3-4) 2003.

“Forgiving abuse: An ethical critique.” Journal of Religion and Abuse, 4 (4) 2002, pp. 51-70.

“Moral panic or moral action? The appropriation of moral panics in the exercise of social control.” Media International Australia, No. 85 (November) 1997, pp. 3-8.

“An analysis of the media debate following the A.B.C. Compass program ‘The Ultimate Betrayal’.” Australian Journalism Review, Vol 15 (No.1) 1993, pp. 1-10. Response article by Prof. Myles Breen, “Applying the spiral of silence: Nothing more practical than a good theory.”

Selected other articles

Review of Sex, power and the clergy by Muriel Porter. Journal of Religion and Abuse, 6 (2) 2004, 108-110.

“The ethics of virtual reality: The digital and its predecessors,” Media Development, XLX (2) 2003, 48-59.

“Churches and sex abuse: the media have only started their job,” The Age, 19th June 2002.

“Retorno al futuro: Los medios de communication, religion, cultura y comunidades de fe.” Occasional paper published by CEDEPCA, Guatemala and Instituto de Estudios de la Comunicación, Perú, 2002.

“Bibliographic review essay,” Connections: Newsletter of the Association of Communication in Theological Education, Spring 1998, pp. 3-6

“The role of media in situations of trauma.” Ministry, Society and Theology, 11/2 (November 1997), pp. 45-55.

“Doing justice for survivors of pastoral abuse.”InFidelity, July, pp.4-5. Reprinted in Community Quarterly, No. 36, December 1995.

“Forgiveness and reconciliation in situations of sexual assault.” Occasional Paper published by the Uniting Church Assembly Commission on Women and Men, April 1994. Reprinted in Alive Now, United Methodist Communications, July/August 1995 (Circulation 250,000).

“When the ‘spiral of silence’ goes through the roof.” Journey, September 1992, pp.28-29.

“Is the dam of sexual assault breaking on the church?” Australian Ministry, May 1992, pp.10-13.

“Religious beliefs and the communications media.” Zadok Series 1 Paper S51, June 1991.

“Why do children watch television?” Nurture: Journal for Home and School, Aug-Sept 1990, pp.6-8.

“Teaching theology in a new cultural environment.” Media Development, October 1990, pp. 6-9.

Selected Conference Presentations and Addresses

“What is it about the book? Touching and being touched by the Word of God.” Paper presented to the Global Seminar on “Sensations, Religious Mediations and the Formation of Identities,” Accra, Ghana, 2009.

“Media, new media and religious authority.” Paper presented to the Sixth International Conference on Media Religion and Culture, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2008

“Researching religion in a School of Media and Cultural Studies.” School of Journalism and Communication staff seminar, University of Queensland, 2008.

Convenor, Porticus Fellows Research Seminar, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, 5^th-8^th August, 2007.

Convenor, Second Global Seminar in Media Religion and Culture, “The mediation of religion: Historical perspectives from the ancient world to the present,” Ayala Museum, Makati City, Philippines, 25^th–27^th June, 2007.

“The Alexandrian media barons and the textualising of Christianity,” Paper presented to the Second Global Seminar in Media Religion and Culture, “The mediation of religion: Historical perspectives from the ancient world to the present,” Ayala Museum, Makati City, Philippines, 25^th–27^th June, 2007.

“The language of media and the language of faith,” Keynote address to the International conference, ‘Believin’ the media: Analysis of faith and media: Representation and communication strategy,” University Center of Saint Ignatius of Antwerp, Antwerp, 26^th-27^th April, 2007.

“Pathways through diversity: Propositions for the conceptualization and analysis of media and religion from a cultural perspective,” Paper presented at the Fifth International Conference on Media, Religion and Culture, Sigtuna Sweden, 9^th July, 2006.

Convenor, Research Seminar of the Porticus Doctoral Research Fellowship Program, Sigtuna Sweden, 6^th-8^th July, 2006.

“Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ: A study in religion and popular culture,” Keynote presentation to the International Conference on Media and Religion, Tehran, 13th-15th November, 2005.

Organizer, Trans-Tasman Research Symposium, “Emerging Research on Media, Religion and Culture,” Melbourne, July 2005.

“Gibson’s The Passion: The super-heroic body of Jesus,” paper presented to the “’Holy men in tights!’ Superheroes Conference,” Melbourne University, 9th – 12th June, 2005.

“Theology as a virtualizing enterprise,” paper presented to the Colloquium on Virtual Theology, Auckland, 11th-12th February, 2005.

“Developments in the study of religious television,” panel presentation on “The Television-Radio Audience and Religion Revisited (49 years later).” 4th International Conference on Media, Religion and Culture (Louisville, Kentucky) September, 2004.

“Historical perspectives on questions raised by new technologies,” panel presentation on “Researching Religion Online: Current Questions, Approaches and Where do we go from here?” 4th International Conference on Media, Religion and Culture (Louisville, Kentucky) September, 2004.

“Coursework Masters: An important context for practice-based research in Australia,” Paper presented at the Research on Research Conference, Melbourne, 2nd-3rd June, 2003.

“Continuities and discontinuities in ethical reflection on digital virtual reality,” Invited paper presented at the Virtual Reality and Communication Ethics International Conference, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, October 2002. Presented also as a lecture to the Media and Politics course, Communication Research Institute, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

“Theology, church and media – Contours in a cultural terrain,” Paper presented at a working session of the International Study Commission on media, Religion and Culture, Vancouver, June 2002.

Keynote address, Conference on “Religion and the media,” Wesley College, University of Sydney, September 1999.

Keynote address, “Back to the future: media, religion, culture and faith communities,” at Third International Conference on Media, Religion and Culture, University of Edinburgh July 1999.

“Rethinking the framework of media violence and the community,” personal presentation to the Parliament of Victoria’s Family and Community Development’s Committee’s Inquiry into the Effects of Television (and Multimedia) on Children and Families, 1998.

“The churches and electronic culture,” Lecture given at Monash University Gippsland Campus 1998 Public Lecture Series, “Religion in an age of change,” August 1998.

“Towards a ritual theory of media,” paper presented to the national conference of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association, Latrobe University, July 1998.

“Alternative frameworks for understanding and responding to clergy sexual abuse.” Paper presented to the First Australian and New Zealand Conference on Sexual Exploitation by Health Professionals, Psychotherapists and Clergy, University of Sydney, April 1996.

“The role of a church college in the future of the university.” Address given at Wesley College, University of Sydney, February 1996.

“The religious community and the paradigm shift in culture and communication.” Paper presented to a pre-conference symposium on “Media, ritual and culture,” International Communication Association Conference, Sydney, July 1994.

Organiser of symposium on "Media, culture and religion" at the International Communication Association Conference, Sydney July 1994.

“The church, forgiveness and reconciliation.” Address given at the National Resource and Training Seminar on Sexual Assault within the Australian Community, Royal Women’s Hospital, November 1993.

"Media responses to the A.B.C. Compass Program 'The Ultimate Betrayal'." Paper presented to the National Conference of the Australian Communication Association, Bond University, July 1992.

"Communication issues in a sexual harassment case within the church." With Marilyn Born. Paper presented to the National Conference of the Australian Communication Association, Melbourne, July 1990.

"Communication studies in theological education." Paper presented to the National Conference of the Australian Communication Association, Melbourne, July 1990.

“Is there a place for religious programs in the future of a national broadcaster.” Keynote presentation to the Conference on “Australia’s National Broadcasters in the 1990s,” Sydney, June 1990.