Social Factors in Religions Converting: Focusing on the Social Group Disparities

Dear Colleagues,

Given that religious heritage constitutes a large part of our identity, the alteration of one’s particular religion or religious community can have a profound impact on identity. The aim of this Special Issue, entitled “Social Factors in Religions Converting: Focusing on the Social Group Disparities”, is to investigate how social structures and group identities influence the processes, motivations, and consequences of religious conversion. While these are often perceived as a deeply personal or spiritual decision, a growing body of sociological and anthropological research emphasizes that such transformations are profoundly shaped by social conditions (Rambo 1993, Robinson 2003, Leeming 2014). Thus, this Special Issue seeks to explore conversion not merely as an individual act of faith but as a socially embedded phenomenon, influenced by wider patterns of inequality, marginality, identity negotiation, and community belonging.

The central research question is then the following: how do social group disparities (e.g., class, ethnicity, gender, migration status, and education level) affect the experience and trajectory of religious conversion? In addressing this question, this project will consider both the structural conditions that predispose certain groups to religious change and the social consequences of conversion in terms of status, integration, and agency. The aim is to highlight why some individuals—particularly those from marginalized or transitional social backgrounds—may be more inclined to convert, and what social roles play in their conversion.

The broader aim of this Special Issue is to analyze how different religious communities perceive and incorporate converts from varied social backgrounds. Are some conversions more socially accepted than others? What forms of inclusion or exclusion emerge along social group lines? For example, converts from minority or stigmatized groups may face double marginalization—first from their community of origin and second within their new religious affiliation. Alternatively, conversion can sometimes offer individuals a symbolic “escape” from a stigmatized identity, allowing them to reframe their place in society.

From a theoretical perspective, this Issue will draw on frameworks from the sociology of religion, identity theory, and intersectionality studies. It will also incorporate comparative approaches, examining different religious traditions on conversion (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, new religious movements) and contrasting the experiences of converts across cultural and/or national contexts. The conversion from an inherited religious indifference towards a specific religion will also be investigated.

Qualitative interviews, case studies, and discourse analysis are welcomed, as well as historical comparisons. Special attention will be paid to personal narratives of conversion, as these offer rich insight into how individuals negotiate meaning, belonging, and social positioning through religious transformation. In this Special Issue, we may also discuss questions on religious pluralism, integration, and identity politics in multicultural societies.

Last but not least, the aim of this Special Issue is to illuminate how religious conversion operates not only as a spiritual journey but also as a mirror and mechanism of broader social inequalities. By focusing on group disparities, we aspire to deepen our understanding of the intersection between faith, identity, and social structure in contemporary societies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, theoretical contributions, and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: 

• Individual narratives as case studies.
• The role of social background in conversions.
• The expected results of the changing of religious identity from the perspective of the individual.
• The effects of the new religious identity on social/ethnic/cultural identity of the converted.
• The social exclusion of the apostate and the inclusion of the convert in specific cultures.
• Different religions’ attitudes towards those who leave one religion and join another.
• The importance of gender, formation, social role, economic conditions, etc., in conversion.
• The role of social disparities in the conversion process.

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, Dr. Máté Botos (botos.mate@btk.ppke.hu), or to the Assistant Editor of Religions, Ms. Sandee Pan (sandee.pan@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purpose of ensuring that articles fit properly within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Botos Máté
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• religion
• apostasy
• conversion
• social disparities
• inclusion
• social exclusion
• identity
• intersectionality