Bethany Berard

I am currently working on my MA at the University of Winnipeg, in the department of Religion and Culture. As an undergraduate I completed a double major in Rhetoric, Writing and Communication and Religion and Culture so my interest in the study of religion has always been framed in terms of rhetorical analysis and various modes of communication. My current research focuses on the Canadian public sphere and how liberal, secular thought influences the ways in which religion is talked about in Canada, and more so the ways in which religion is engaged in public life. In an increasingly digital world, this engagement has arguably shifted and thus the modes of communication and tools available shape this religious engagement. I have written on religion The West Wing and am interested in how popular culture, television in particular, has shaped and influenced Western public discourse surrounding religion.