The Connected Sacred: Religious Practices, Identities, and Authorities In the Age of Digital Turbulence

Contemporary societies are increasingly shaped by uncertainty arising from geopolitical conflicts, ecological crises, migration, and other global challenges. In this context, religiosity has experienced a notable resurgence, closely linked to the rapid expansion of digital technologies. Social media, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and virtual communication environments are transforming religious beliefs, identities, practices, and forms of authority across diverse cultural settings.

This panel examines the relationship between religion, religiosity, and digital technologies within the framework of the congress theme, “Global Sociology in Turbulent Times.” It invites theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions that explore how digital transformations reshape contemporary religious life and how they may either intensify or mitigate social and political turbulence.

The panel focuses on three interconnected dimensions. First, it investigates the transformation of religious authority through digital platforms, highlighting the emergence of influencers, digital preachers, and virtual communities that challenge or complement traditional religious institutions. Second, it explores digital religiosity as a resource for meaning-making, examining how online rituals, religious knowledge, and virtual communities help individuals and groups navigate migration, displacement, crises, and uncertainty. Third, it analyzes the role of digital technologies in processes of religious polarization, including radicalization, sectarian divisions, and identity conflicts, while also considering their use by feminist actors and social movements promoting inclusion and resistance to discrimination.

By moving beyond the conventional secularization–religiosity dichotomy, the panel seeks to develop a critical sociological understanding of digital religion and its connections to contemporary global turbulences, while assessing its potential contributions to resilience, social cohesion, and social transformation.