Nostalgia, Religion and Popular Culture: Rethinking the Sacred and the Secular through the Death of Queen Elizabeth II - Softcover

Deacy, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1350496618 ISBN 13: 9781350496613

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2026

Synopsis

Drawing on the event of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022 as a central case study, this book explores the way we navigate the relationship between nostalgia and religion. Focusing on the lived experiences of ‘ordinary people’ and in tandem with the ‘turn to the self’ discourse, Deacy suggests that our relationship with nostalgia illustrates the shift from objective and transcendent value-systems towards the domain of everyday experience, love and loss. This book revisits the way we understand religion and the secular, using the medium of popular culture, such as radio, film, TV and music to interrogate the ‘nostalgia-as-religion’ narrative. The interpersonal and social elements of nostalgia are explored, such as through the way radio fostered virtual communities and played a key role regarding national, religious and cultural memory during the mourning of the Queen. Attention is given to how nostalgia has evolved over time, and how it can be understood as a religious process which transforms our lives at a time of loss and contributes to an eschatological future.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Chris Deacy is Honorary Reader in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Kent, UK, as well as TV and radio presenter, film critic, journalist and podcast host.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1350496618
• ISBN 13: 9781350496613
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 212