Journal for Religion, Film and Media (JRFM)

Dr. Natalie Fritz

DFG Project-number 549807125

The Journal for Religion, Film and Media (JRFM) is a Diamond Open Access journal published in English. Situated at the intersection of the study of religion, theology, film and media studies, history of art, the study of music and drama, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology and other related fields, it offers a platform for publications in the field of religion and media and the further development of research, with a specific focus on audio-visual media. JRFM encourages the use of interdisciplinary studies using various methods in analysing mediatisation processes of religion in contemporary societies and cultures, but also values historical and diachronic studies. Hermeneutical, historical, socio-empirical, and mixed methods are well represented in the issues published so far. The development of JRFM began in 2014, and the first issue was published on 15 November 2015. Since then, two yearly issues (published on 15 May and 15 November) have been released following a rigorous production and publication schedule. JRFM is grounded in an international network of scholars, with a leading role being played by the universities of Graz, Munich (LMU), Villanova and Hull. Each issue and individual articles can be downloaded directly from the journal website or from the repository of the Graz University Library which publishes and stores JRFM.

JRFM is one of the first journals in Germany and Europe with a focus on religion and media that has been published from the start as Diamond OA. In Europe, research on religion and (audio-)visual media is conducted by scholars scattered in many universities and institutions.

Although the work of doctoral students and post-doc researchers is very important in this particular approach to religion, they often do not have the possibility to make their work visible. From the very beginning, JRFM has been conceived as a platform to enhance the exchange among researchers in this field, and to promote and highlight the relevance of (audio-)visual media for the study of religion in all spheres of society and culture. Since the authors do not have to pay a publication fee, JRFM offers a publication venue to all outstanding contributions regardless of the financial possibilities of their authors. Since its foundation, the response to JRFM’s Diamond OA policy has been very positive, and over the years the journal has been received by a broad audience of readers and authors worldwide.

After ten years, JRFM has proven to be at the centre of a vibrant interdisciplinary network of researchers working on audio-visual media and religion. Through the regular publication of its issues, JRFM has made visible the work of numerous researchers scattered in different German, European and – increasingly – global institutions. JRFM has developed a specific profile with particular attention for European cinema and popular culture, avant-garde productions in film and art (with regular reviews of exhibitions and film festivals), and particular attention to the methodological challenges for researching religion in (audio-)visual representations. In addition, JRFM has opened up its perspective to global cinema and media in recent years, offering another innovative perspective in a field that so far has focused predominantly on the North Atlantic context. At the same time, attention to the dynamics of (moving) images in transcultural and multi-media processes and/or on a diachronic line has become a distinctive feature of JRFM, attracting authors and readers from all over the world.

Furthermore, from the beginning JRFM has constructively and critically engaged in the experimental character of OA publishing in the humanities. The pros and cons of this (r)evolution are regularly monitored and discussed in the meetings of the editorial board in consultation with stakeholders from different sectors of OA, including libraries, publishing houses, representatives of academic institutions, public research funding agencies and political authorities. In our experience over the years, Open Access is not simply a tool for providing free access to research results, but it also influences the way research projects are organised and documented. As such, it is part of a broader transformation of research paradigms in a time of deep mediatisation and digitalisation. JRFM has identified the need to further develop and enhance its processes and presence in order to ensure its long-term viability, focusing in particular on its accessibility for a diverse audience, its visibility and reach, as well as streamlining and automating parts of the production process in order to minimise cost and increase value both to the current funders (the Universities of Graz, Munich and Villanova), the scholarly community, and the broader public.