Kristin Peterson: At the Intersection of Faith, Activism and Media

Exploring the inner world of a Pentecostal church in London while a Dominican University journalism student set the groundwork for Kristin Peterson’s professional career.

An assistant professor in Boston College’s Department of Communication, Peterson ’07 teaches courses that examine ways media and religion intersect. In 2022, she published the book Unruly Souls, an examination of the commonalities that Muslim activists and Evangelical Christian feminists share online as they find themselves marginalized within their faith communities due to their sexuality, gender or race.

During a Dominican study abroad program, Peterson’s independent research project explored the Pentecostal faithful, many Caribbean immigrants, navigating life in London. This, she says, sparked her interest in religion as an academic pursuit.

“Just having this different experience of religion from what I had grown up with as a Catholic, and talking to people who were passionate about their faith, made this something I was particularly interested in,” Peterson explained. Peterson earned a master’s degree in religious studies and a Ph.D. in media studies. Her research of digital activism by youth impacted by the expectations of their faith — and the resulting trauma many experienced —led to the writing of Unruly Souls.

The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters’ emphasis on faith and justice also inspired Peterson’s career path, she noted. “That influenced me in the work I do, to find ways to do research seeking a better world and helping the marginalized,” Peterson said.