Self-consciously straddling the gap between the Christian subculture and the broader secular world, Relevant Magazine both reflects and shapes young evangelicals' struggles to find their place in a postmodern pluralistic society.  But what exactly is Relevant's strategy for "engaging culture", and how does it truly differ from what came before?   What are the real driving forces behind its theological, political, and "progressive" cultural agendas?  In this workshop, I'll use my in-depth critical study of the magazine and its parent company Relevant Media Group as an entry point towards discussing our current environment of generationally-based target marketing, commodified dissent, corporate-funded fake-indie record labels, ironic t-shirts, rebel rocker-activists, and Christianity's changing relationship with the culture industry.

ffm 2007

Calvin College Student Activities Office

How is this Relevant?

SEP 13, 200773 MIN
ffm 2007

How is this Relevant?

SEP 13, 200773 MIN

Description

Self-consciously straddling the gap between the Christian subculture and the broader secular world, Relevant Magazine both reflects and shapes young evangelicals' struggles to find their place in a postmodern pluralistic society. But what exactly is Relevant's strategy for "engaging culture", and how does it truly differ from what came before? What are the real driving forces behind its theological, political, and "progressive" cultural agendas? In this workshop, I'll use my in-depth critical study of the magazine and its parent company Relevant Media Group as an entry point towards discussing our current environment of generationally-based target marketing, commodified dissent, corporate-funded fake-indie record labels, ironic t-shirts, rebel rocker-activists, and Christianity's changing relationship with the culture industry.