Atheism in Five Minutes - Teemu Taira
46. Is Atheism Visible in Popular Culture?
Atheism in Five Minutes - Teemu Taira
Teemu Taira [+]
University of Helsinki
View Website
Teemu Taira is Senior Lecturer in the Study of Religion, University of Helsinki. His publications include Media Portrayals of Religion and the Secular Sacred (Ashgate 2013, co-authored with Kim Knott & Elizabeth Poole), Taking ‘Religion’ Seriously: Essays on the Discursive Study of Religion (Brill 2022) and more than 70 articles in journals and edited volumes.
Description
It is safe to suggest that atheism has not been a particularly visible theme in Western popular culture. By examining films, television and popular music, this brief survey shows that atheism and atheists are not fully invisible in popular culture. Popular culture products addressing atheist identities proudly, rather than stereotypically in a negative manner, have become more common, but it is still easier to find examples of implicit atheistic themes, which primarily means criticism of religion.