Deficient Progression: Charting Diversity in Major Media and Religion Journals

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the recent state of the field of media and religion along several “visible” dimensions of diversity. Although these elements give only a surface-level view of how diversity operates, we argue for both the value of and the need to increase these types of diversity within the field. The article numerically analyzes five leading journals publishing on media and religion since 2000. It evaluates both author characteristics and article content in relation to such elements of diversity as gender, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, geographic location, and religious focus. It finds that while important, if not fully sufficient, progress has been made in relation to gender, many of the other indicators of diversity continue to lag. Contributions from and attention to issues within non-White, non-Christian, and non-USA/Canada/European authors and communities are especially lacking. The article concludes with suggestions for increasing diversity within the field.