Behind the Veil: Gender, Religion, and Power in the 21st Century
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 February 2026 | Viewed by 13
Special Issue Editor
Interests: sociology of emotions; sociology of religion, especially human and women’s rights in Islamic societies and cultures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The hijab remains a complex and multifaceted subject that cuts across cultural, religious, and political boundaries. On one hand, proponents highlight bodily autonomy and argue that wearing the hijab can be a conscious and empowering personal choice—an expression of individual values and identity, which should be respected as a matter of personal agency and bodily autonomy.
On the other hand, critics contend that the hijab functions as a symbol of patriarchal control, suggesting that even when chosen voluntarily, it may still be shaped by deeply embedded and internalized norms and expectations which reproduce patriarchal control over women’s bodies.
This Special Issue seeks to engage with both perspectives and encourages scholarly contributions that critically explore the various dimensions of veiling. We aim to investigate how these discourses shape social dynamics, influence personal agency, and contribute to broader understandings of freedom, identity, and human flourishing.
Particular attention will be given to the experiences of Muslim women living in non-Muslim-majority societies, where the hijab can provoke discrimination, social exclusion, or politicized reactions. These contexts are essential to grasping the wider societal implications of veiling in our contemporary world.
We warmly invite scholars from diverse disciplines to submit articles that advance this vital conversation.
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, Prof. Marziyeh Bakhshizadeh (marziyeh.bakhshizadeh@gmail.com) or to the Assistant Editor, Margaret Liu (margaret.liu@mdpi.com) 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.
A tentative timeline:
Deadline for abstract submission: 22 October 2025
Deadline for full manuscript submission: 22 February 2026
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Marziyeh Bakhshizadeh
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
- hijab/veiling
- patriarchy/patriarchal control
- bodily autonomy
- personal choice/agency
- internalized patriarchl norms
- identity
- discrimination
- social exclusion
- muslim women
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