JOURNAL OF RELIGION IN AFRICA

Scope & Guideline

Advancing Scholarship on Africa's Spiritual Landscape

Introduction

Welcome to your portal for understanding JOURNAL OF RELIGION IN AFRICA, featuring guidelines for its aims and scope. Our guidelines cover trending and emerging topics, identifying the forefront of research. Additionally, we track declining topics, offering insights into areas experiencing reduced scholarly attention. Key highlights include highly cited topics and recently published papers, curated within these guidelines to assist you in navigating influential academic dialogues.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0022-4200
PublisherBRILL
Support Open AccessNo
CountryNetherlands
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1967 to 1976, from 1978 to 1983, from 1985 to 2024
AbbreviationJ RELIG AFR / J. Relig. Afr.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
AddressPLANTIJNSTRAAT 2, P O BOX 9000, 2300 PA LEIDEN, NETHERLANDS

Aims and Scopes

The Journal of Religion in Africa focuses on the dynamic interplay between religion and various aspects of African societies, including politics, culture, and identity. It aims to provide a platform for scholarly discourse on the diverse religious landscapes in Africa and their implications for social dynamics.
  1. Interplay of Religion and Politics:
    The journal extensively explores how religion influences political structures, state formation, and governance across various African contexts.
  2. Cultural Interactions and Religious Syncretism:
    It investigates the intersections between indigenous beliefs, Christianity, and Islam, highlighting processes of cultural exchange and syncretism.
  3. Impact of Globalization on African Religions:
    The journal addresses how globalization affects religious practices, identities, and movements in Africa, particularly in relation to the diaspora.
  4. Historical Perspectives on Religion:
    A strong emphasis is placed on historical analyses of religion, examining colonial and post-colonial influences on African religious practices and institutions.
  5. Contemporary Religious Movements:
    The journal features studies on emerging religious movements, including Pentecostalism and other new religious expressions, analyzing their social and cultural impacts.
  6. Gender and Religion:
    There is a focus on gender dynamics within religious contexts, exploring how religious practices shape gender identities and roles.
The Journal of Religion in Africa has witnessed the rise of several emerging themes that reflect current societal challenges and the evolving nature of religious practice in the continent.
  1. Secularity and Pluralism:
    Recent publications highlight the complexities of secularism and religious pluralism in African contexts, exploring how these concepts shape inter-religious relations and societal cohesion.
  2. Health and Religion:
    There is a growing focus on the intersection of health, religion, and contemporary crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how religious institutions respond to health challenges.
  3. Decolonization of Religious Studies:
    Emerging discussions are centered around decolonizing religious studies in Africa, challenging Eurocentric narratives and emphasizing indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives.
  4. Religious Violence and Conflict:
    There is an increasing interest in studying the dynamics of religious violence and conflict, particularly in regions experiencing political instability and extremism.
  5. Gender and Religious Activism:
    Research on the role of women and gender dynamics in religious movements and activism is becoming more prominent, reflecting broader societal changes and feminist discourse.
  6. Cultural and Religious Resilience:
    Emerging studies focus on how cultural and religious practices adapt and resist in the face of globalization and modernization, showcasing the resilience of African communities.

Declining or Waning

In recent years, certain themes within the Journal of Religion in Africa have become less prominent, reflecting a shift in scholarly focus and possibly the evolving religious landscape in Africa.
  1. Traditional African Religions:
    While still a topic of interest, the exploration of traditional African religions appears to be waning as the journal increasingly emphasizes contemporary religious movements and their socio-political implications.
  2. Colonial Missionary Studies:
    Research specifically focused on colonial missionary activities, while historically significant, has seen a decline as scholars shift towards examining post-colonial religious dynamics and indigenous responses.
  3. Static Historical Analyses:
    The journal has moved away from static historical narratives in favor of more dynamic studies that consider contemporary implications and interactions between past and present religious practices.

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