About this Research Topic

Background

The reality of multiculturalism that has emerged throughout Europe since the second half of the twentieth century has put matters of religion and religious identity firmly on the agenda and sparked various debates about religious identities in contemporary European societies.
There is great contextual variety within Europe when it comes to these debates and their dynamics: some countries have seen a simultaneous decline in Christianity, in terms of both numbers and power, and an increasing ‘culturally Christian’ non-religious population, alongside a the growth of a multi-religious landscape; some countries are experiencing an (often historic) struggle between competing traditions over the power to construct, define and ‘own’ national identity; and others are experiencing the reassertion of a national, Christian tradition against minority faiths, whether historical or ‘new’ populations.
Yet these debates are also all taking place in contexts and at a time of increasing secularisation on the continent. Where some see decline, others see patterns of growth in minority religions or denominations, or in changing forms of religion. Nevertheless, Pew has reported that Europeans express more scepticism about the role of religion than in other world regions and social hostilities related to religion have risen on the whole across the continent. Yet, religious identities have received scant focus in literature on ‘everyday multiculturalism’ or ‘lived diversities’.

At the level of the state, the Christian character of a country (or Europe as a continent) might be expressed or a more multi-religious character might also be invoked. A further issue then is how these forms impact upon religious minorities and their inclusion or exclusion. Literature on multiculturalism of this kind has tended to focus on Muslims conceived in ethno-religious terms. This is also brought into sharp relief by the promotion of national values, such as British or Hungarian values and what this can mean. Further issues relevant to the relationship between the state and religion revolve around state ‘patronage’, whether through formal recognition, funding for social and welfare service provision or involvement in promoting a national form (such as French or German Islam) might mean for different religions and religious organisations.

These debates and questions touch on various issues and raise a number of difficult questions. How do we think about ‘Christian’ identities in contemporary Europe? What is the relationship between religious identities and religious practice? And which can and should be accommodated in the public sphere? What is the relationship between ‘religious’ identities and ‘cultural’, ‘ethnic’ or ‘national’ identities? In all of these what is meant by ‘religious’ identity and the role it plays, whether conceived positively or controversially, is debated and at issue. They also straddle various levels of academic research, from ‘macro’ normative theorising to ‘micro’ in-depth ethnographic investigations and their connection, as well as different societal levels, including legal, institutional, political and everyday interactions.

This Research Topic engages these debates in a way that foregrounds questions of religious identity and how this is understood. It seeks to address questions around how religious identity is understood in debates on the issues of (although not restricted to):

• theories of multiculturalism and interculturalism
• forms of discrimination, such as Islamophobia and anti-Semitism
• everyday diversities
• religious identity as intersectional (with gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and so on)
• religious identities and cultural/national/regional identities
• religion in the public sphere
• accommodation of religious minorities
• religious identity and social or political action

We particularly welcome comparative perspectives between different religions or across different countries and contexts, or also those that seek to connect different levels, such as theoretical and empirical or macro and micro.

Keywords: religion, religious identity, multiculturalism, diversity, everyday multiculturalism, religious minorities, state-religion relations

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

  In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my Research Topic?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.