The Making of contemporary papacy: manufactured charisma and Instagram

Oren Golan, Michele Martini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Recent research highlights the growth of alternative religious leadership on a global scale. In response, social media have emerged as platforms to compete for religious primacy. Accordingly, the study asks how is online religious authority constructed, re-affirmed and implemented by religious organizations? We contend that through online means, religious organizations are nowadays working to construct a public image to spark charismatic attraction towards institutional leaders. To investigate, we developed a grounded study that captured the full Instagram production of Pope Francis’ official account (429 images). Drawing on construal theory, findings demonstrated the strategic management of social, spatial, affective and hypothetical distance, simultaneously corresponding with uncovered facets: hierarchical positioning; geographical locales, haptic engagement, and leaders’ visual focus. Thus, we suggest introducing a concept of image-mediated-charisma, and its theoretical framing through digital distance. Concepts that were observed in the religious realm yet can be extended and applied to political or cultural leaders.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)1368-1385
Number of pages18
JournalInformation Communication and Society
Volume23
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 28 Jul 2020

Keywords

  • Catholic Church
  • Instagram
  • Pope Francis
  • charisma
  • digital religion
  • leadership
  • religious authority

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Communication
  • Library and Information Sciences

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