Lena Macnicholas

Lena Macnicholas

Lena MacNicholas is an MA Student in the Religious Studies Graduate Program at Queen’s University. Having completed her undergraduate degree with a major in religious studies and a minor in political studies, she is looking to further an understanding of how religion, politics, and law interact by influencing the dominant norms and values of society. She will be focusing on examining this influence in light of the recent emergence of contemporary spirituality and subjectivity, particularly the incorporation of pre-existing religious traditions as part of a re-imagined form of “self-directed” spirituality. In addition to this, she hopes to incorporate an examination of the way in which technology and social media have contributed towards this trend through the rise of constant connectivity and unprecedented exposure to alternative religious practices. As such, she will explore these implications of contemporary spirituality and the way in which religious traditions have evolved and continue to evolve in and influence society today.