The Functions of Religion for Human Society
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 27200
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Social scientists have long been interested in the psychological and sociological functions of religion and spirituality for the individual and for any number of social collectivities (e.g., small groups, organizations, institutions, distressed communities, countries, and social movements). While psychologists have led the way with hundreds of empirical studies showing the association between religion and various individual-level outcomes (e.g., reduced depression, improved mental and physical health, and reduced mortality, to name a few), far fewer sociological studies have examined the impact of religion on social collectivities.
This Special Issue of Religions attempts to fill this gap by exploring the contemporary functions of religion in human society. Key research questions include, but are not limited to: What are the functions of religion for distressed or marginalized communities or communities that view themselves as under siege? How do prison inmates use religious resources to cope with the vicissitudes of confinement? How do young adults use religion to navigate the negative influences around them? How do racial, ethnic, and gender groups employ religion to cope with discrimination and/or promote and inform social movements of liberation? How do organizations and institutions use religion to promote their mission, solidify followership, and ensure compliance? How do countries use religion to form and promote a social, political, and national identity?
This volume seeks original papers that explore the contemporary functions of religion at various levels of sociological analysis. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies are welcomed. We are open to studies that use Christian and non-Christian religious traditions as a lens through which to examine the functional utility of religion and spirituality in contemporary societies around the world.
Interested authors should submit a proposed title and an abstract of 100 words summarizing their intended contribution before submitting the full paper. Abstracts should indicate the (1) purpose, (2) proposed methods of analysis, and (3) relation to prior literature. Please send the abstract to the Religions Editorial Office ([email protected]) or to the Guest Editor ([email protected]). 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.
Prof. Dr. Ryan A. Smith
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.
Keywords
- functions of religion
- religious coping
- prosocial behavior
- religion and social movements
- religion and civil rights
- religion and social class
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