Religious Conversions Print

Call for Proposals

This Group invites paper proposals or fully-formed panels on the full spectrum of issues related to religious conversions in any historical or geographic context, encompassing different forms of religious belief and practice. This includes reasons for and consequences of religious conversions, both individually and socially, and their implications. We encourage the methodologies of multiple disciplines as well as interdisciplinary approaches. This year, we are especially interested in the following topics:

  • Conversion and gender
  • Conversion and immigration
  • Conversion and conflict
  • Deconversion
  • Theories of religion as they impact conversion studies

Mission

This Group is open to study the full spectrum of issues related to religious conversions, in any historical or geographic context, encompassing different forms of religious belief and practice. The scope of the issues we cover is broad and wide-ranging. We consider investigations into the reasons for various types of religious conversions, including, but not limited to, intellectual, theological, philosophical, historical, experiential, psychological, social, cultural, political, and economic causes. We also study the consequences of religious conversions, both individually and socially, and their implications. We encourage the methodologies of multiple disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary approaches. More narrowly focused areas of inquiry suggested by interested scholars include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Multiple conversions
  • Group and individual conversions
  • Forced conversions
  • The narrative and/or literary aspects of conversions
  • Hybridity
  • Ecclesiological consequences of conversion
  • The place and role of conversion in a specific religious tradition
  • Theories of conversions
  • Formulas of religious conversion (as step-by-step processes)

Anonymity of Review Process

Proposals are anonymous to Chairs and steering committee members until after final acceptance/rejection.

Questions?

Linda A. Mercadante
Methodist Theological School, Ohio
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Marc Pugliese
Brescia University
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Method of Submission