MAKEBELIEF
Theming Religion, Heritage and National Identity in the 21st Century
The MAKEBELIEF project investigates how 'immersive media' are used in the 21st century to represent religion, heritage, and national identity. We analyze theme parks and museums in China, Turkey, the Netherlands, and the United States.
MAKEBELIEF explores immersive media on three levels. First, we examine why and how issues of identity and meaning are present in theme parks and museums. Second, through participatory observation and media history, we analyze how different media forms (such as animatronics, 4D cinema, holograms, re-enactments, or miniatures) are used in this context. Third, we investigate how the public experiences these parks through ethnographic fieldwork and digital ethnography.
On this website, you can follow our progress. Read our blogposts, virtually explore the parks we visit, or stay updated on events and publications.
Virtual rides
We record our visits as much as possible using 360 degree camera's. That way, you can experience the parks yourself. Click here for our Youtube channel.
Blog
We maintain a blog where we document the places we visit and explain why they are interesting research subjects in an accessible manner. Click here to visit the blog.
Publications and Events
English 
Dutch