Religious Nationalism in Contemporary Europe

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript for consideration in our Special Issue, which examines the intersection of religion and nationalism in contemporary European contexts. This Special Issue examines the resurgence and transformation of religious nationalism across contemporary Europe, exploring how nationalist movements intersect with religious identities in the 21st century. In an era marked by globalisation, migration, and shifting geopolitical landscapes, religious nationalism has emerged as a significant force shaping political discourse, social cohesion, and cultural identity across European societies.

This Special Issue aims to explore the complex relationship between religion and nationalism in contemporary Europe, examining how these two powerful forces shape political discourse, social cohesion, and cultural identity across European societies. The Special Issue brings together interdisciplinary perspectives to analyse the mutual interaction between nationalist ideologies and different religious traditions—Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant), Islam, Judaism, and others—in various European contexts. Contributors examine both historical continuities and contemporary innovations in religious nationalist movements, from established church–state relationships in Western Europe to the post-communist religious revivals in Eastern Europe, and the complex dynamics of religious minorities within nationalist frameworks.

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

• Theoretical Perspectives

Conceptualising religious nationalism in the European context

Post-secular theories and religious revival

Religion, nationalism, and modernity

• Regional Case Studies
• Contemporary Political Dimensions

Religious rhetoric in populist movements

Faith-based political parties

Religion, nationalism, and EU integration

• Social and Cultural Aspects

Religious symbols in public space

Education and religious-national narratives

Media representations of the intersection of religion and nationalism

• Minorities and Pluralism

Religious minorities' responses to nationalist discourse

Interfaith dialogue and nationalism

• Comparative Analyses

Cross-national comparisons within Europe

Europe in global perspective

Historical and contemporary comparisons

The expected impact of this Special Issue is to advance theoretical frameworks for understanding religion-nationalism dynamics in contemporary Europe. By bringing together diverse disciplinary perspectives, it will challenge binary distinctions between secular and religious spheres, offering more sophisticated analytical tools while providing fresh empirical insights through systematic comparative analysis across different European contexts. The Special Issue will highlight both common patterns and regional variations, moving beyond single-case studies to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of how religious and national identities interact across diverse political and historical contexts.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarising their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, or to the Assistant Editor of Religions, Dr. Ana Vujković Šakanović (vujkovic.sakanovic@mdpi.com). 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.

Dr. Reka Szilardi
Dr. Tamás Szilágyi
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.

• religion and nationalism European politics
• society Religion and identity