EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF RELIGION’S PRESENCE 
IN ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA.

DeeperDive is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative of KC Social Impact Lab specializing in depictions of religion on screen.

The media and entertainment industry has enormous influence on how audiences around the world think about religion. It impacts how we treat others, how we think about our own moral systems, how we vote, and how we think about other facets of identity, including race, gender, and sexuality.

 

AND RELIGION APPEARS CONSTANTLY ON SCREEN.

Spearheaded by Harvard Divinity School alumni and fellows, DeeperDive advises public, private, and nonprofit organizations seeking to promote religious pluralism and expand understandings of religion in wider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) movements. 

A project of KC Social Impact Lab, led by experts in philanthropy, media, and public affairs with proven track records of delivering effective messages in over 140 countries and 40 different languages, our goal is to equip individual storytellers and companies with the tools to tell more complex and less stereotype-driven narratives.

 In following this wider goal, DeeperDive does not promote any individual religion over another.

Rather, much like other facets of DEI, we help stakeholders and storytellers understand religion as one facet of an interconnected social system. 

Entertainment media companies already look to experts on race, gender, sexuality, and climate change to enhance their social impact programming.

DeeperDive is the first such equivalent for understanding the role and prevalence of religion in film and television.

We can shift what audiences learn about religion on screen, so that when they encounter religious diversity in real life, they respond not with fear or distrust, but with empathy and compassion.

WHAT WE DO

Training

We provide specialized programming premised on challenging unconscious biases surrounding religious people, communities, and themes.

Research

We evaluate past and prospective depictions of religion in entertainment media, demonstrating its prevalence and influence. 

Consulting

We advise public, private, and nonprofit organizations seeking to improve internal diversity and social responsibility strategy.

IMPACT

VISION

We live in a world of extraordinary religious diversity. But we also live in a world where religious ignorance and intolerance frequently lead to conflict.

Our understanding of the world and the social issues that permeate it are largely shaped by our media consumption.

Taken together, in order to build a world where everyone is accepted and respected, regardless of religious differences, we need to know more about each other. We need to hear each other’s stories.

Done right, the spread of religiously diverse content in entertainment media possesses the power to educate and mobilize communities, spark discussion and debate, and advocate for sweeping and effective policy change. This content not only shifts attitudes on a widespread level, benefitting society as a whole, but more deeply engages audiences in ways that encourage long-term studio loyalty and increase profitability.

SERVICES

RELIGIOUS LITERACY TRAINING

We provide customized workshops aimed to demonstrate the impact and salience of religious literacy in film and television. Premised on real-life media examples, both past and prospective, our training emphases shift based on the needs of our clients and can be catered toward audiences ranging from media executives and content producers to storytellers within the general public. Lasting from one hour to several days, depending on individual needs and concerns, our programming is based in Harvard Divinity School’s Religion and Public Life core principles. Upon exploring why religious literacy should matter to media executives, producers, and content creators, we offer a set of best practices, aimed at dispelling narrative-based stereotypes and expanding public understandings of religion.

RESEARCH

Using Harvard Divinity School’s methods, we conduct research on the ways in which religion is currently represented across media platforms, providing future recommendations based on these findings. 

CONSULTING

We advise public, private, and non-profit organizations seeking to improve internal diversity and social responsibility strategy.

Our access to leaders in media, business, government and education allows us to equip our clients with the networks needed to turn aspiration into tangible influence. We co-create courses of action with our clients that span from media campaigns to strategic partnerships, help implement these tactics, and ultimately communicate and quantify this impact.

APPROACH

Religious literacy is a way of thinking about religion. It is not a series of facts to memorize. As defined by Harvard’s Religion and Public Life Program, it is founded on three basic principles:

Religions are internally diverse.

Religions evolve and change over time.

Religions are embedded in culture, not separate from it.

While no single person can know everything about every religion, these three principles help us avoid some of religion’s most common misrepresentations.

THE CADER METHOD

The CADER Method is a comprehensive, four-phase process designed to identify, analyze, and address religious stereotypes in films and media, ensuring more accurate and respectful portrayals. Unlike other methods, the CADER Method’s key differentiator is its applicability at any stage of the creative process, making it uniquely adaptable and integrative. This method is the first of its kind that can be applied early on during the scriptwriting process, providing critical insights into religious content without disrupting the creative flow. This early intervention is particularly valuable during the development phase, allowing for timely script adjustments that save both time and money without compromising the creative process.

The acronym CADER stands for Content Assessment, Detection, Examination, and Reevaluation, reflecting each step of the process from initial content analysis through to final recommendations. This method was developed informed in the Harvard Divinity School Religious Literacy Program, with phases one and two co-developed by Mario Cader-Frech and HDS faculty and students, and phases three and four refined by HDS Faculty and Mario Cader-Frech as part of his thesis project at HDS. The CADER Method aims to promote religious literacy and challenge stereotypes in media.

Benefits of the CADER Method:

  • Early Application: Can be applied from the early stages of scriptwriting to post-production, allowing for flexible integration into the creative process.
  • Cost-Effective: Helps detect and correct issues early, saving on potential costly changes later in production.
  • Audience Engagement: Uses direct audience feedback to refine content, ensuring it meets the expectations and sensibilities of diverse viewers.
  • Enhanced Authenticity: Promotes a nuanced portrayal of religious themes, enhancing the film’s overall quality and audience reception.
  • Innovative Approach: First to use audience detection of stereotypes, leading to more targeted and effective content adjustments.

 

Read and download the full CADER Method

OUR TEAM

Lindsey Smith

Co-Founder and Lead Trainer
Harvard Divinity School’ 22

Mario Cader-Frech

Co-Founder and Social Impact Specialist            KC Social Impact Lab, Principal
Harvard Divinity School Fellow

Fabian Koss

KC Social Impact Lab, Principal

Giulia D’Amico

KC Social Impact Lab, Education and Tech Specialist

Jerusha Achterberg

Harvard Writing Instructor

Carlos Garcia

CEO & Co-Founder Molecula Research

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The media and entertainment industry has enormous influence on how audiences around the world think about religion and worldview. It impacts how we treat others, how we think about our own moral systems, how we vote, and how we think about other facets of identity, including race, gender, and sexuality. DeeperDive, as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative of KC Social Impact Lab, specializes in in depictions of religion on-screen. We focus on research to evaluate past and prospective depictions of religion in entertainment media, demonstrating its prevalence, influence and impact in our society. The research results are used to bring awareness of Religious Literacy to media executives—through live and online lectures, talks, and workshops in partnership with Harvardwood—as well as publish the results in different media outlets to reach audiences, academics, researchers, religious affiliates, and Hollywood at large.

 

Summer Internship Program

As part of our commitment to enriching the understanding of worldview within entertainment media, DeeperDive offers a remote Summer Internship Program (SIP) for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. The SIP runs for 10 weeks (mid-June  – mid-Aug), and in congruence with Harvard Divinity School’s Certificate in Religion and Public Life (HDS CRPL) program requirements, is expected to take ~30 hours/week. This workload should be considered a weekly average; interns are expected to allocate their time as necessary. Each week includes ~2-4 hours of synchronous online meetings, with other work being completed independently. Participation in the SIP is unpaid, and students wishing to receive academic credit must arrange this directly with their respective academic institution.

 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Become familiar with the principles and practice of religious literacy, as explored at HDS.
    1. Interns will become familiar with the HDS approach via selected readings, discussion, and short writings. Interns who are currently students in the HDS CRPL program may have already been exposed to some of this material.
  2. Learn to independently implement high-level critical thinking skills into research and writing practice.
    1. Interns will complete the course “Film Analysis and Evidence-Based Writing”, culminating in the production of 1-3 publishable manuscripts targeting an audience of their choice. The course meets weekly, plus additional one-on-one writing conferences.
  3. Contribute to the existing DeeperDive body of analysis on the depiction of worldview in contemporary movies and television.
    1. Apply the current Religious Literacy Test Template (in ongoing development with HDS and DeeperDive) to selected films and document the results.
  4. Learn how a small, boutique consulting firm specializing in social impact operates in practice. For the duration of the internship observe and, as appropriate, participate in:
    1. Weekly executive meetings of the KC Social Impact Lab team.
    2. The WhatsApp chat group used by KC Social Impact Lab team for internal communications.

 

Work Conditions and Requirements:

All DeeperDive and KC Social Impact Lab meetings required for SIP participants will take place remotely via Zoom. Therefore, in order to fully participate, interns must have consistent access to an adequate quality video/audio setup for Zoom. Interns must also have access to Microsoft Office programs, email, WhatsApp, and a university library system. SIP participants must acquire selected movies/shows (determined prior to the start of each year’s SIP) via the format/platform of their choice. Readings will be provided by DeeperDive for download.

 

Candidates must have:

  • Strong research and computer experience
  • Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
  • Ability to work independently and with a team
  • Demonstrated attention to detail, time management, and organizational skills 

 

How to apply:

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV/résumé, most recent unofficial transcript, and short writing sample (1-2 page) via email to jerusha@deeperdive.org. Please note that all attached documents must be in either .doc, .docx, or .pdf format. Qualified candidates will be invited for an online interview.

 

At DeeperDive, we are committed to building a diverse team that reflects our core values, and we welcome applicants of all backgrounds.

 

 

Supervisors

 

Jerusha Achterberg (jerusha@deeperdive.org)

KC Social Impact Lab

DeeperDive

Harvard University Academic Writing/Grammar Instructor

Achterberg Consulting

 

Jerusha Achterberg has been with Harvard University since 2010, including as an instructor with both the Division of Continuing Education and Summer School, module director/instructor with Harvard Medical School’s Office of External Education, and 8 years as a faculty member in the Harvard College Writing Program. At Harvard University, she has taught expository writing, grammar, and research methods; university-wide, she was awarded the Joseph R. Levenson Memorial Teaching Prize (2012) and the Star Family Prize for Excellence in faculty advising (2017). Jerusha received her MPH in Epidemiology and MA in Biocultural Anthropology from the University of Washington with a concentration in Statistics and the Social Sciences, and she is keenly interested in effectively communicating critical thinking and science content.

 

Jerusha Achterberg is President of Achterberg Consulting, an editorial consulting service specializing in writing coaching and developmental editing in the sciences and social sciences.

 

Mario Cader-Frech (mario@kcsocialimpactlab.com)

KC Social Impact Lab Co-Founder

DeeperDive Founding Fellow

Harvard Divinity School

Fellow in Media & Entertainment (2017-2021)

Dean’s Council Member (2017-present)

MRPL’24

 

Mario Cader-Frech  supports Harvard Divinity School Religion and Public Life’s efforts to foster critical reflection and collaborative relationships to improve religious literacy within the entertainment and media industries. Cader-Frech previously worked for nearly 15 years at Viacom International, as Senior Vice President Public Affairs & Social Responsibility, responsible for a creative team tapping the power of MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Vh1, and Paramount’s unparalleled connection to youth and children to deliver socially responsible messages utilizing fresh approaches on behalf of the United Nations, International non-profit partners, and private sector brands. Cader-Frech is the creator of MTV Agents of Change and Nickelodeon Together For Good, two global campaigns designed to celebrate kids, young people and celebrities across the world who are making a positive difference in their communities on a wide array of social issues; reaching nearly a billion cumulative subscribers in more than 160 countries and territories, via television programming, special events, consumer products, digital offerings, recreation, books, and feature films.

 

DEEPERDIVE INTERNS

Lorenny Diaz

Class of 2024

Ella Sperling

Class of 2024

Kianna Mahony

Class of 2023

Annie Ablon

Class of 2022

Joy Zhang

Class of 2022

Celia Pivo

Class of 2020 and 2021

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