Religion, Law and Territory Past and Present: Challenges and Transformations in Comparative Perspective

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between religion, law and territory has historically represented a crucial dimension of legal and social organization. Across different historical periods and geographical contexts, religious traditions have interacted with territorial governance, shaping norms, institutions, identities and forms of social coexistence. In the contemporary global landscape—characterized by increasing mobility, religious pluralism, digitalization and the transformation of political and legal boundaries—this relationship is undergoing profound and complex changes. The Special Issue “Religion, Law and Territory Past and Present: Challenges and Transformations in Comparative Perspective” aims to explore these dynamics by bringing together interdisciplinary and comparative contributions that analyze how religious phenomena intersect with legal systems and territorial governance across time and space.

The issue seeks to investigate both historical and contemporary dimensions of the interaction between religion and territorial regulation. Historically, religious institutions have often played a fundamental role in the construction of territorial authority, influencing legal frameworks related to land ownership, jurisdictional boundaries, urban development and the organization of communities. At the same time, legal systems have defined and regulated the presence of religious actors within specific territorial contexts, establishing forms of cooperation, control or separation between religious and political authorities. Understanding these historical configurations is essential for interpreting present-day challenges and transformations.

In contemporary societies, the relationship between religion, law and territory is increasingly shaped by processes such as globalization, migration, urbanization and technological innovation. Religious pluralism is becoming a defining feature of many societies, raising complex legal questions related to the accommodation of religious diversity within national legal orders and within specific territorial spaces such as cities, regions or transnational areas. Issues such as the regulation of places of worship, religious symbols in public spaces, faith-based welfare, minority religious rights and the governance of religious communities within multicultural urban environments are at the centre of ongoing legal and political debates.

Furthermore, territoriality itself is evolving. Urban environments—often described as “laboratories of pluralism”—have become key sites where religious diversity and legal regulation intersect. Cities are increasingly required to manage the coexistence of multiple religious communities, negotiating spatial, cultural and legal claims. At the same time, supranational legal frameworks, particularly within Europe, are influencing how national and local authorities address questions of religious freedom, equality and non-discrimination. These dynamics highlight the importance of examining the interaction between local, national and transnational levels of governance in the regulation of religious phenomena.

This Special Issue therefore aims to provide a comparative and interdisciplinary platform for examining how law structures the territorial dimension of religious life and how religious actors, in turn, shape legal and spatial arrangements. Contributions are encouraged by researchers working in law, legal history, sociology of religion, political science, anthropology, urban studies, geography and related disciplines. By fostering dialogue across these fields, the issue seeks to develop a deeper understanding of how religious pluralism and territorial governance interact in both historical and contemporary contexts.

Attention will be devoted to comparative legal perspectives, exploring how different legal traditions and constitutional models address the presence of religion within territorial spaces. Contributions may examine case studies from various regions of the world, offering insights into the diversity of regulatory approaches and institutional arrangements. Comparative analyses are especially valuable in highlighting both convergences and divergences in the legal treatment of religion across jurisdictions and in identifying emerging trends in the governance of religious diversity.

The Special Issue also aims to highlight the international relevance and impact of research on religion, law and territory. Questions related to the protection of freedom of religion or belief, the management of religious diversity and the role of religious actors in public life are increasingly addressed within international and supranational legal frameworks, including those developed by European and global institutions. Understanding how these frameworks interact with national and local legal orders is essential for assessing current challenges and identifying innovative approaches to the protection of fundamental rights.

In terms of originality, this issue seeks to move beyond traditional approaches that treat religion primarily as a matter of individual freedom or institutional relations between church and state. Instead, it emphasizes the territorial dimension of religion; how religious practices, communities and institutions are embedded in specific spaces and how legal norms regulate their presence and activities within those spaces. By combining historical depth with contemporary analysis and adopting a comparative perspective, the Special Issue aims to open new avenues of research on the spatial and legal dimensions of religious pluralism.

The editors welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Historical relationships between religious institutions and territorial governance
• Law, religion and spatial regulation of places of worship
• Religious pluralism and urban governance
• Territorial dimensions of freedom of religion or belief
• Comparative legal approaches to the regulation of religion in public spaces
• Migration, mobility and the territorial reconfiguration of religious communities
• The role of local and regional authorities in managing religious diversity
• Religion and territory in supranational and international legal frameworks
• Digital spaces, new technologies and the transformation of religious territoriality
• Case studies exploring interactions between religious communities and legal systems in specific territories

By addressing these themes, the Special Issue aims to contribute to the broader scientific debate on the evolving relationship between religion, law and territorial governance. Through interdisciplinary dialogue and comparative analysis, it seeks to shed light on how legal systems can respond to the challenges posed by religious diversity while promoting social cohesion, respect for fundamental rights and inclusive forms of coexistence in increasingly complex and plural societies.

The Special Issue aims to contribute to the broader scholarly debate on the evolving interaction between religion, law and spatial governance, offering innovative and comparative insights into the challenges posed by religious diversity in contemporary societies. We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–250 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, Dr. Daniela Tarantino (Daniela.Tarantino@unige.it), and CC the Special Issue Editor, Ms. Joyce Xi (joyce.xi@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Daniela Tarantino
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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.

• religion, law and territory
• governance of religious pluralism
• religion in urban and spatial contexts
• comparative regulation of religion
• religion and public governance