Religion, Gender and Social Development

Dear Colleagues,

Religion, gender and development have always been intertwined. Religion is a powerful social phenomenon that has influenced and been influenced by cultural norms in a variety of contexts. Its influence on social behavior is evident on a global scale. Religion is not merely a factor in the social construction of behavior; it has also endorsed practices that bear significant implications for gender status and roles. The complex relationship between religion and gender, one that is often misunderstood, is a crucial consideration in today’s global context, especially in the absence of a clear separation of church and state.

Gender, as a social construct, has been a significant factor in human experience, especially social development. The construction of gender based on cultural norms can elevate or devalue individual status and role in society. This underscores the importance of understanding gender dynamics in various contexts. The construction of gender based on religious values has been shown to heighten gender experiences. This journal aims to explore how gender construction can influence gender experience and general social experience. Drawing from specific case studies, authors are encouraged to explore this process of gender construction and highlight the role of religion in the process.

Social development is the objective of any society that aims to progress. The objectives of social development are to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities by increasing social inclusion and creating opportunities for people towards productive lives by fostering issues such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion. A cornerstone of social development is the promotion of democratic values, which emphasize freedom, self-determination and realization, among others. Gender is a critical factor in social development, as societies are comprised of individuals from both genders, who together comprise about half of the population. Marginalization of any one gender and denial of them access to opportunities for development have implications for social development in general. Religious values can hinder social development and gender inequality. This journal invites discussions that explore these issues from diverse vantage points.

The editors of this journal are pleased to invite you to submit articles that explore the intersection of religion, gender and social development. We cordially invite you to contribute to the Special Issue on Religion, Gender and Development by invoking theories, methodologies and case studies that interrogate the intersection of religion, gender and social development. To proceed, please submit an abstract of your proposed article. Following approval, you will be invited to prepare a full paper for potential publication in this journal upon completion of the peer review process. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews. Potential research areas include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Religion;
• Gender;
• Social development;
• Democracy.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, or to the Assistant Editor of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors 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.

Prof. Dr. Mary Nyangweso
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.

• gender
• social construction
• religion
• development
• women
• theory