As an academic, my work focuses on the dynamics of discourse, or language in use, particularly as it relates to religious identity. I research and teach at Aston University, and analyse discourse to understand how people present themselves and their beliefs to diverse audiences, and how technology changes not just the presentation of belief, but how and what people believe.
I employ different methods of discourse analysis to investigate metaphor, narrative, and antagonism in interaction.
I’ve written and presented extensively on these topics so please view my publications and presentations pages for more information.
I have worked on different projects focusing on religious identity in diverse settings. My recent project, Language and Religion in the Superdiverse City was funded by the Arts and Humanities Council in the UK, and built on existing collaborative partnerships. Listening to community members and leaders in interviews and focus groups, the project aimed to learn more about how language is used to describe the lived experiences of people in the city. I also worked with community members to co-produce a resource to help people talk productively about their faith (see infographic) and the book Narrative and Religion in the Superdiverse City.
My full academic CV includes all the work I’ve done, as well as noting some of my key failures along the way.
Stephen Pihlaja 