The Vibe Shift
The Vibe Shift is a podcast of the Gen Z Role Models Project, based at King’s College London. We explore the fast-changing spiritual lives of the first smartphone generation—diving into original research on religion, influencer culture, and the search for meaning in a digital age. From lifestyle gurus to papal TikTokers, we’re tracking the saints and cynics shaping Gen Z’s world. Featuring fresh voices and participatory research methods, each episode invites you into conversations that matter.
Episodes
10 episodes
Episode 10: A Behind the Scenes Look at Researching Gen Z and Religion
In this episode, Edward sits down with Claire, Communications Officer at the University of Oxford, to talk about her role as collaborator on the Gen Z Role Models Project.They discuss the rewards of doing collaborative research and explo...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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31:06
Episode 9: A Simple Faith in Life's Quest ("Meeting You Where You're At")
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Edward talks with Noah, a theology graduate and study participant who reflects on the power of asking big questions—and finding simple but profound answers.Noah shares how reading the medieval ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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20:34
Episode 8: Faith and Finding Your Voice ("It’s OK Not to Know")
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, we sit down with Mollie, a undergraduate student in the UK, to reflect on what it means to be young, questioning, and spiritually curious in today’s world.Mollie shares how she encountered our ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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9:12
Episode 7: From Narrative Theology to Participatory Analysis
In this final episode of The Vibe Shift mini-series, Edward brings the essay to a close—an essay that shaped the theoretical foundation of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Building on narrative theology, moral philosophy, and the method ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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14:03
Episode 6: Tolkein's Sub-Creation and Gen Z's Sub-Exemplars
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Edward continues reading from the foundational essay that shaped the theoretical framework of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Written early in the analysis phase, the essay brings theological reflectio...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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9:48
Episode 5: Gen Z Religion and Story Completion
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Edward—lecturer at King’s College London and research lead on the project—steps back to share the theoretical foundation that shaped how the research team approached the story data.At the heart...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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10:31
Episode 4: Simple Faith and Being Intentional
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Claire and I speak with Grace, an international student from Malaysia whose family is part of the Chinese diaspora there. Now based in the UK, Grace took part in our study and connected with what we’v...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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11:02
Episode 3: Fragmentary Wisdom and the Elusive Encounter
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Claire speaks with Saadadden, a former research assistant on the Gen Z Role Models Project with a background in both law and theology.Drawing on the Islamic tradition, Saadadden reflects on the...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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11:02
Episode 2: Faith Under Fire and the Urgency of Connection
Episode 2: Faith Under Fire and the Urgency of ConnectionIn this episode of The Vibe Shift, Claire sits down with Mariia, a young professional from Ukraine and one of the participants in the Oxford workshop of the Gen Z R...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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11:38
Episode 1: Divine Disillusionment and the Catharsis of Storytelling
In this first episode of The Vibe Shift, we sit down with Iris—a London-based student from Southeast Asia and one of the first participants in the Oxford pilot of the Gen Z Role Models Project. The project uses a research method called...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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17:09