Comments in the Blogosphere as a Source for Religious Studies (Based on the Orthodox Segment of the Internet)

Abstract

Online materials on religious topics are actively commented on by users, resulting in the formation of a textual space of religious Internet comments. As a form of rapid response to the news, comments in the blogosphere are an important source that allows us, taking into account representativeness criteria, to analyse trends in the dynamics of the religious situation in near-real time. The authors of such comments primarily adopt the following roles: a strict adherent of religious rules; a fanatic prone to radicalism (extremism); a modernist advocating a “comfortable church”; a prayerful peacemaker calling for peace and harmony; an exposer of various (real or imaginary) vices of “church life”; a cleric making a pretence to be an expert. The communicative strategies depend on the role assumed; however, sufficient competence or even simple awareness is oftentimes not expected from a commenter. In fact, the genre of commenting does not require competence: in most cases anyone can comment on anything. The analysis of comments allows us to identify the specifics of value-based evaluative activity, including users’ religious preferences and their attempts to form public opinion. This is achieved through the use of special methods of presenting information as well as throgh the specifics and ability of a text to establish the necessary associations and images. Particular attention is paid to the strategy of creating a negative image. From the point of view of content and pragmatics, the following types of comments can be distinguished: informative, evaluative, destructive, apologetic (polemical), and manipulative. This typology of comments can be used when conducting content and intent studies of the religious blogosphere as well as analysing the dynamics of the religious situation and various processes of the religious semiosphere.