The Involvement of Religion in Modern States' Political and Government Systems
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 236
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite submissions for this Special Issue on "The Involvement of Religion in Modern States' Political and Government Systems". This topic addresses the significant and complex role that religion plays in shaping political ideologies, policies, and governance frameworks around the world. As modern states grapple with issues of secularism, religious freedom, and identity, understanding the interaction between religious beliefs and political structures becomes crucial. Recent global events and socio-political shifts have underscored the varied ways in which religion influences policy-making, social cohesion, and national identities, often impacting both domestic and international relations.
This Special Issue aims to advance scholarly discussions on how religion intersects with modern state functions, contributing to both governance practices and the political landscape. It aligns with the journal’s focus on examining societal structures and values, political thought, and the dynamics of religious expression in diverse contexts. We welcome interdisciplinary contributions that explore the historical roots of religion's involvement in government, case studies of religious influence in policy-making, and comparative analyses of secular versus religious states. We especially encourage submissions that provide a nuanced view of religion’s role in multicultural societies and explore the balance between religious influence and secular governance.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and review papers are welcome. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:
- Religious Influence on Policy: Examining how specific religious beliefs shape social policies, such as education, health, and welfare.
- Secularism and Religious Identity: Investigating the challenges and responses of secular states to religious identity and expression within governance.
- Comparative Studies of Political Systems: Analyzing differences in governance structures between states with strong religious influences and those that emphasize secularism.
- Religion and International Relations: Exploring the impact of religious alliances and divisions on foreign policy and international cooperation.
- Religious Freedom and Human Rights: Assessing the balance between religious freedom and other human rights in government legislation and practices.
We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue and to fostering a deeper understanding of how religion shapes modern political and governance systems.
Prof. Dr. James T. Richardson
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
- religion and politics
- secularism
- religious freedom
- government policy
- international relations
- multiculturalism
- religious in-fluence
- human rights
- secular governance
- identity
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