Call for papers for thematic issue of ex æquo Feminists and Catholics: dogmas, challenges and struggles

Edit.:
Teresa Toldy, LabCom (UBI), Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Portugal
Ana Nunes de Almeida, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Júlia Garraio, Centro de Estudos Sociais, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Luciane Lucas dos Santos, Centro de Estudos Sociais, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Catholicism and feminism are often seen as incompatible. However, many Catholic women have embraced feminism, presenting themselves as feminists for whom religious faith is a fundamental part of their identity and their public lives as citizens and activists. No less important are feminist theologies committed to efforts to reform the Catholic Church, with a significant presence in contexts such as Germany, the United States, Spain, and several Latin American countries, where feminist theology associations enjoy a long tradition and continuous presence and where there is solid research in the field.

In Portugal, Catholic feminism, the contributions of feminism to reforms in Catholicism, the role of Catholic women in feminist activism, and the struggles for recognition of LGBTQ+ people within the Catholic Church have systematically faced prejudice from a wide range of political quarters, which has contributed to their social invisibility. However, they do exist and are part of the history of Portuguese democracy that has yet to be told and analysed.

The aim of this thematic issue is to highlight, analyse, and understand the journeys and experiences of Catholic feminist women and LGBTQ+ people, as well as the traditions of feminist thought and activism, both within and outside the Church. We value studies that contribute to a better understanding of the Portuguese context, but we also intend to include texts on other geographical areas and/or transnational issues. We invite submissions of texts that address one or more of the following themes:
- The place of Catholic feminist theologies in feminisms and the contributions of Catholicism to feminisms and gender studies;
- How feminisms and gender studies can contribute to the challenges facing the Catholic Church today;
- The history of Catholic feminisms and feminist theologies in Portugal;
- How Catholic faith and formation interact with the convictions and actions of women and LGBTQ+ people who identify as feminists and Catholics;
- Forms of discrimination and violence against women in the Catholic Church.

 

This list is not intended to be exhaustive. Other proposals that fit the theme of the special issue are encouraged.
Texts are accepted in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French, with a maximum limit of 40,000 characters. The guidelines for submitting articles are available at:
https://exaequo-ojs.apem-estudos.org/exaequo/en

IMPORTANT DATES
Submission deadline: until 30 december 2026
Publication: until the end of June 2027