Page - 11 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 03/02

Using Media in Religious Studies | 11www.jrfm.eu 2017, 3/2, 9–15 ing electronic versions for daily use, with works even available to more than one person at a time. But bibliophiles who find pleasure in being present in the library to handle the material book were indignant, even though it is still pos- sible to read the physical copy, despite the extra demand on the library admin- istration this entails.4 the scholarly identity perhaps makes it no wonder that the written and phys- ical text is still predominant in the humanities. as every perception is a multi- layered sensory experience, an article in a book never simply transports neu- tral mentefacts. an article is, for example, framed by its appearance in either an established book series that signals seriousness or a paperback that seems more easy going. the electronic publication is perhaps more neutral as it lacks certain layers of sensory perception. all this has much to do with our embodied routines as scholars.5 the Journal for Film, Religion and Media (JFRM) is a good example of a con- temporary development that sees the regular use of texts in combination with, for example, film stills that hint at the medium of film. While such practice ex- pands the horizons of media representation, it also raises tricky theoretical and methodological questions, for illustrations are not simply supplemental, but must be read critically, just like any sentence, especially when interwoven with text. every representation always transports its own logic and perspective. René Magritte joined others in engaging this question when, decades ago, he depicted this problem using humor: he drew a horse, a painting of a horse, and a man speaking the animal’s name and added a line that reads “An object never does the same as its name or its image”.6 the November 2017 issue of JRFM explores the possibilities for using media in representing religions. david Morgan has proposed that scholarly deployment of certain media is intended to signal objectivity. For example, charts might be used to display empirical “truth” or a photograph to “demonstrate” a position in an argument: to that end figures and pictures are often introduced without explanation of the perspective in which they lie or analysis of their production and context.7 This issue of the journal analyzes media as a crucial part of re- search, as a means of both producing and representing scholarly results. in this issue, contributors have been invited to participate to an interdiscipli- nary debate about the significance and impact of media within academic work on religion. This self-reflection about producing and transmitting data in ana- lyzing, deconstructing and representing religion through media also considers 4 representing the position of the traditional readers: thiel 2016. for the library see deutsche National Bibliothek, n.d. 5 Reckwitz 2003, 282–301. 6 Magritte 1975, 33. 7 Morgan 2005, 39–47.