Mysticism Reloaded: Innovative Approaches, Methods, and Theories to Study Mysticism

Dear Colleagues,

Studies of mysticism have been in a state of turmoil. As Leigh Schmidt noted, “There is hardly a more beleaguered category than ‘mysticism’ in the current academic study of religion. Its fall from theoretical grace has been precipitous.” Critical scholarship on religion has pointed out the dangers in generalizing mysticism (and constituent terms like “experience” or “union”) as a cover-all term that may in fact speak to different aspects of spiritual and lived realities in different contexts. Yet, many researchers are finding that this added sensitivity does not require abandoning the term altogether if we are to consider empirical realities. Indeed, a post-critical, more nuanced recovery of mysticisms appears to be underway. This Special Issue moves past uncritical accounts, on one hand, and pure criticism of the category, on the other hand, to probe new approaches, methods, and theories to study mysticisms.

This Special Issue welcomes theoretical, methodological, and empirical research papers that shed new light on how to study mysticism in any religion and non-religious contexts. Potential topics include the following questions.

Is there analytical value in re-defining “mysticism”, and, if so, what should that look like? In what way does mysticism overlap with “spirituality,” “esotericism,” and the like? Are there better categories for mystical “experiences” or “consciousness?” On what grounds can we compare mysticisms? Can mysticisms be recovered from colonially imposed terms? Should mysticism as a contemporary phenomenon be studied in the same way as mysticism of the past? Are there rigorous methods and theories to probe the widespread yet elusive claim of many mystics about divine love and its human reflections? What kinds of theories can describe socially engaged and practical “this-worldly” mystics? Can the material turn help us to study mystics’ relationships with place and objects? Can we study the commodification of mysticism, for instance via tourism? How should we approach the discursive relations between mystics and institutions over time and across faiths? Should mystics, especially recent mystics, be better considered as inter-religious than bound to a religious tradition? How do mystics contribute to interfaith relations or conflicts? How do mystics relate to gender? What do mystics think about the boundary between science and religion? Are there any patterns of similarities in the symbolic languages used by mystics around the world? Are methods and theories in the arts useful to probe mysticisms and, if so, are there differences from other kinds of art research? How can we study and compare music of the mystics? Have traditional mystical paths and schools changed in our age of global media? Is there a digital mysticism, and how does AI affect mysticisms? Can and should mysticism be taught in university, where should it be taught, and what should that teaching look like now? What kinds of new interdisciplinary methods can be applied to the study of mysticisms between social, historical, philosophical, and biological spheres?

We request that prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send this file to the Guest Editor ([email protected]) or the Religions Editorial Office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by Guest Editor for the purpose of ensuring their proper fit within the scope of this Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo a double-blind peer-review process before being accepted for publication.

Prof. Dr. Ali Qadir
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• mysticism
• methods in religion
• comparative research
• interdisciplinary theories of religion