Digitally Divided : The Impact of Technology on Belief and Societal Polarization

This book offers a critical exploration of how digital technologies are reshaping religious belief, ethical frameworks, and social cohesion. From online religious practices to surveillance ethics and the digital reshaping of spiritual authority, Digitally Divided maps the risks and possibilities at the intersection of belief and technology.

This book offers a critical exploration of how digital technologies are reshaping religious belief, ethical frameworks, and social cohesion. As faith and ideology increasingly migrate to online platforms, the book examines how algorithm-driven content, echo chambers, and decentralized authority structures influence discourse and deepen societal divides. Drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives in religious studies, sociology, philosophy, and digital humanities, this volume interrogates how sacred rituals, spaces, and moral narratives are being transformed in the digital age. Amid rising concerns over misinformation and polarization, this timely work challenges the assumption that technology must inevitably fragment communities. Instead, it explores how digital spaces might also foster new forms of dialogue, connection, and meaning. From online religious practices to surveillance ethics and the digital reshaping of spiritual authority, Digitally Divided maps the risks and possibilities at the intersection of belief and technology. Essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners across multiple disciplines, it is a vital contribution to understanding how we live, believe, and connect in an increasingly digitized world.