Call for Submissions for the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue™
Issue 11: Religion & Politics

Given the undeniable impact of political affairs upon religious matters and of religion upon such political matters as elections, marriage equality, reproductive rights, war, healthcare determinations, ethnic violence, economic rights—to name but a few of many—we at the JIRD believe it is time to dedicate a special issue to the topic of Religion and Politics. We ask that you share with us your critical reflections for our eleventh issue, due to be released in the late fall of 2012. Among the countless possible avenues for exploration, we have provided a few to prompt your thinking:

– Although politicians are expected to make official decisions without appealing to religious grounds for justification, they are allowed and even at times expected to utilize their religiosity during campaigning. How does this duality affect their constituents? Does it, for example, establish a false hope that a candidate who has been voted into office based on being a ‘better Christian’ than another will advocate for laws that adhere strictly to faith doctrines?

– Why are politicians, especially presidential nominees, asked to assure voters that they will not simply be puppets to their religions while in office?

– To what extent, if any, should the religious views of some dictate policies that affect many?

– Is it possible for political officials to separate religious views from decision-making?

– Can an oppressive regime fueled by religious rhetoric be justified or sanctioned based on theological principles or assertions made in sacred texts?

– Is a separation between the realm of the political and that of the religious necessary for a democracy to flourish?

– What role does inter-religious dialogue have to play in mediating political issues?

The Journal is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to innovative research on and study of the interactions that take place within and between religious communities. Published online, it is designed to increase both the quality and frequency of interchanges between religious groups and their leaders and scholars. By fostering communication and study, the Journal hopes to contribute to a more tolerant, pluralistic society. Recent issues have centered on critical themes in inter-religious studies, including “Religion and Revolution” and “Women, Feminism, and Inter-Religious Dialogue.”

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be the original, previously unpublished work of the author(s). Authors are also advised to read about the Journal and the previous issue prior to submitting an article.

Submissions should be around 3,500 words, including references and a 100-word abstract. They should strictly adhere to the Fifteenth Edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, utilizing endnotes for citations and footnotes for discursive elaboration (please do not use in-text citation for anything, including references to sacred texts). Submissions should be in a .doc or .docx format, both of which are available in open-source format as well as in most word processing software.

Please be sure to separate sentences by a single space rather than two, and please make use of serial commas (e.g. “yes, no, and maybe” rather than “yes, no and maybe”). Any failure to comply with stylistic standards will be pointed out by staff editors, and authors will be expected to correct the discrepancies themselves during the editing process.

Co-authored articles are welcomed and encouraged. Articles may be submitted online at www.irdialogue.org/submissions or via e-mail to submissions@irdialogue.org.

Deadlines
The deadline for submissions for the eleventh issue of the Journal is July 15, 2012. Articles submitted after this date will not be considered for publication in the eleventh issue. You will hear back about the status of your submission by August 15, 2012.

Peer-Review Process

After an initial vetting process by the editorial board, each submission will undergo a rigorous peer-review by members of the Board of Scholars and Practitioners. If accepted for publication, the Journal’s staff may edit the submission for mechanics and adherence to writing standards.