Focus and Scope

FOCUS

The Indonesian Journal of Culture and Religion (IJCR) focuses on the exploration, analysis, and interpretation of the dynamic relationships between culture and religion, with a special emphasis on the Indonesian and Southeast Asian contexts. The journal aims to advance the understanding of how religion shapes, and is shaped by, cultural practices, societal values, arts, and collective identities.

IJCR emphasizes both theoretical and empirical studies that investigate the role of religion in the public sphere, interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution, and its contribution to social and moral development. The journal also highlights evidence-based approaches to evaluating the role of religious institutions, religious education, and public policies related to religious harmony. IJCR places the socio-cultural context of Indonesia as a central foundation, while also engaging with global developments in the study of culture and religion.

SCOPE

The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Religion and Local Culture
Examines the interaction between religious doctrines and local cultural systems. Topics include indigenous spirituality, religious syncretism, the inculturation of religion, traditional beliefs, and the role of custom (adat) in shaping religious practices.

Interreligious Dialogue and Relations
Focuses on frameworks and practices for building understanding and cooperation between different religious communities. Topics include dialogue initiatives, theology of religions, comparative religion, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding in multi-faith societies.

Religion, Media, and Popular Culture
Explores the representation and influence of religion in various media forms. Topics include digital religion, religious narratives in film and literature, social media and religious authority, and the use of media for proselytization or religious education.

Religious Education and Literacy
Addresses the theories, policies, and practices of religious education in formal and informal settings. Topics include curriculum development, pedagogical methods, interfaith education, and strategies for enhancing religious literacy in pluralistic societies.

Religion, Politics, and the Public Sphere
Examines the intersection of religious authority and political power. Topics include political theology, religion and nationalism, religious movements, the management of religious diversity in public policy, and secularism.

Religion, Arts, and Architecture
Focuses on the aesthetic and material dimensions of religious expression. Topics include sacred art, religious music and performance, the symbolism of worship spaces, and the preservation of religious heritage.

Gender, Spirituality, and Religious Identity
Analyzes the construction of gender roles and spiritual identities within religious and cultural contexts. Topics include feminist theology, the role of women in religious leadership, masculinity studies, and LGBTQ+ issues in religious traditions.

Philosophy of Religion and Ethical Systems
Explores philosophical foundations and ethical frameworks derived from or responding to religious traditions. Topics include comparative ethics, religion and human rights, bioethics, and philosophical debates on the nature of the sacred.

Religion, Globalization, and Cultural Change
Investigates the impact of globalization and modernity on religious beliefs and practices. Topics include transnational religious movements, religion and migration, cultural hybridity, and religious responses to contemporary social issues.

Through these areas, IJCR encourages interdisciplinary dialogue among scholars of religious studies, cultural anthropology, sociology, history, theology, and political science to foster a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between culture and religion in the modern world.