Comparative Thinking on Islam in a Global Age

Dear Colleagues,

The contemporary world is characterized by an unprecedented intensification of globalization processes, which are fundamentally transforming how religion is understood and practiced. Islam, as one of the world’s greatest religious traditions, is not immune to these transformations. Contemporary Islam operates within a complex network of global flows, including ideas, people, capital, and technology (Khamis 2024). Globalization processes generate new forms of Islamic thought and practice, provoking debates about authenticity, identity, and adaptation. Mechanisms of adaptation, resistance, and reinterpretation of classical theological and legal concepts are also being activated. In this context, a comparative approach proves particularly valuable, enabling the analysis of diverse ways of understanding and practicing Islam across various geographical, cultural, and social contexts (Hasan 2022).

This Special Issue presents a critical analysis of diverse perspectives on Islam in the context of globalization (Meuleman 2002), employing a comparative approach as a cognitive tool. This comparative framework enables the capture of both universal tendencies characterizing contemporary Islamic discourses and specific, local forms of their articulation. It also facilitates an understanding of how globalization processes influence the interrelationships between different strands of Islamic thought and their interactions with other religious and ideological traditions.

The primary objective of this Special Issue is to highlight the issues, challenges, threats, and opportunities that arise from the diversity of Islam in the contemporary world. We intend for this special issue to focus on key dimensions of the complex phenomenon of comparative thinking about Islam in the era of globalization. The contributions should analyze the transformations of Islamic theology and law in response to the challenges of modernity and postmodernity (Barbato, 2020; Kulska and Solarz, 2021), and explore the forms of Islamic spirituality and religious practices emerging in diasporic and multicultural environments (Ali, 2021; Harb, 2016). Interreligious dialogue (Strahovnik, 2022) in international diplomacy (Piwko and Sawicka, 2024) and various forms of international communication (Piwko and Sawicka, 2025), which often constitute key elements in strengthening or straining mutual relations between nations and states, are also important aspects. They are particularly important in the context of pluralistic societies (Malović and Vujica 2021) and transnational flows of people, ideas, and capital.

We would like to draw particular attention to the phenomenon of “global Islam” (Green 2024; Mandaville 2020), understood not as a unified structure but as a network of interconnected yet diverse local interpretations of universal religious messages. We encourage submissions of articles examining the issues faced by various Muslim communities in the tension between authenticity and adaptation, between fidelity to tradition and openness to innovation, and between cultural particularism and religious universalism.

We particularly welcome articles that systematically and reflectively employ comparative methodology, combining theoretical perspectives with empirical research. We also strive for interdisciplinary approaches, incorporating fields such as religious studies, anthropology, sociology, political science, and media and communication studies. Furthermore, they must offer new interpretations of well-known phenomena or analyze previously understudied ones. Considering local perspectives and the voices of Muslims themselves will be a valuable contribution, while maintaining a critical distance from Orientalist stereotypes. The methodology of the submitted papers should utilize discourse analysis and empirical research, offering rich material for reflection on contemporary Islam as a phenomenon that is simultaneously global and local, homogeneous and diverse, ranging from traditional to modern. We also encourage the presentation of new research methods that will enable a comprehensive presentation of the issues under consideration.

We particularly encourage interdisciplinary approaches that combine traditional Islamic studies with contemporary media and communication research, exploring how digital technologies reshape religious authority, community formation, and theological discourse. The intersection of religious diplomacy and digital communication in contemporary Islamic contexts represents a particularly promising area of investigation. Of special interest are studies examining how Islamic communities and institutions adapt their diplomatic and communicative strategies across diverse social media platforms, including traditional networks like X (Twitter) and emerging decentralized platforms such as BlueSky and Mastodon, reflecting the evolving landscape of digital religious communication.

The combination of Islamic studies expertise with media and communication research creates a unique opportunity to examine how technological transformation affects religious practice, authority, and community formation in contemporary Muslim societies. This interdisciplinary approach enables a comprehensive understanding of how traditional Islamic concepts are adapted to digital environments while preserving their theological and cultural authenticity.

References

Ali, Amro. 2021. Unpacking the Arab part of Identity, Spring, and World. Mediterranean Dialogue Series 35(2): 1–11.

Andok, Monika. 2024. The Impact of Online Media on Religious Authority. Religions 15(9): 1103.

Bano, Neelam, Humaira Ahmad, Javaria Hassan and Rafia Razaq. 2023. Principles of Religious Pluralism. Religions 14(1):20.

Barbato, Mariano. 2020. Postsecular Plurality in the Middle East: Expanding the Postsecular Approach to a Power Politics of Becoming. Religions 11: 162.

Cornille, Catherine. 2021. Religious Hybridity and Christian Identity: Promise and Problem. Currents in Theology and Mission 48: 1.

Green, Nile. 2024. What is “Global Islam”? Definitions for a field of inquiry. Diogenes 65: 31–43.

Harb, Charles. 2016. The Arab Region: Cultures, Values, and Identities. In Mona Amer (ed.). Handbook of Arab American Psychology. London: Routledge, 3–18.

Hasan, Farah. 2022. Muslim Instagram: Eternal Youthfulness and Cultivating Deen. Religions 13(7): 658.

Khamis, Sahar. 2024. The Paradoxes of Modern Islamic Discourses and Socio-Religious Transformation in the Digital Age. Religions 15(2): 207.

Kulska, Joanna, and Anna M. Solarz. 2021. Post-Secular Identity? Developing a New Approach to Religion in International Relations and IR Studies. Religions 12: 982

Mandaville, Peter. 2020. Global Political Islam, 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

Malović, Nenad, and Kristina Vujica. 2021. Multicultural Society as a Challenge for Coexistence in Europe. Religions 12(8): 615.

Meuleman, Johan. 2002. Islam in the Era of Globalization Muslim Attitudes towards Modernity and Identity. New York: Routledge.

Piwko, Aldona, and Zofia Sawicka. 2024. Bahrain Forum for Dialogue Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to Bahrain as a Step on the Path of Brotherhood Between Religions. Religions 15(12): 1569.

Piwko, Aldona, and Zofia Sawicka. 2025. Islam, New Media and Young Muslims radicalization. Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 24 (70): 3–16.

Strahovnik, Vojko. 2022. Holism of Religious Beliefs as a Facet of Intercultural Theology and a Challenge for Interreligious Dialogue. Religions 13(7): 633.

Prof. Dr. Aldona Piwko
Prof. Dr. Andrzej Adamski
Guest Editors

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.

• Islam
• globalization
• Middle East
• new media and social communication
• religious diplomacy
• interreligious dialogue
• policy
• intercultural communication
• Islamic studies
• digital religion
• mediatization
• religious authority
• cultural security
• Islamic media
• online communities
• digital transformation
• media ethics
• digital diplomacy
• decentralized networks
• multi-platform communication