Call for Sessions — NCSR 2026

The call for sessions is now open for the 27th conference of the Nordic Association for the Sociology of Religion.

We welcome session proposals on any topic of general interest in the sociology of religion, but particularly invite proposals relating to the conference theme. This includes methodological aspects of research on underrepresented populations, specifically the marginalised, vulnerable and socially excluded.

Focus areas include: 

  • Innovative methods for the sociology of religion.
  • Advances and new potential applications in quantitative methods.
  • Multi- and mixed methods and similar approaches.
  • Participatory and arts-based approaches.
  • Challenges in researching underrepresented, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.
  • Assumptions underpinning research design.
  • Broader methodological aspects of research designs.
  • Dissemination of research and creation of meaningful knowledge reaching back to the communities studied.
  • The relationship between “old” established methods and more novel ones, and/or updating “old” methods.
  • Etc.

In short, we call for session proposals that foster critical inquiry into methodological issues, thereby providing foundations for a deeper, more inclusive sociology of religion that actively engages with the complexity and diversity of contemporary lived realities.

Proposals for both open and closed sessions are welcome and should be submitted by 2 December 2025 via this form: Proposals for Open and Closed Sessions | NCSR 2026.

You will be requested to provide the following information: 

  • Contact information.
  • Session type and structure.
  • Session details:
    • Title of the session.
    • Abstract and description of the session (max. 400 words).
    • List of presenters and preliminary titles/topics of papers (for closed sessions only).

Please note that open sessions invite paper proposals from anyone, while closed sessions require a whole (full) session to be proposed at once, including abstracts for each presentation included. All sessions consist of 90-minute slots, each of which includes three paper presentations. Proposals for closed sessions can consist of one or two slots (ideally with three or six papers, respectively). Full abstracts for accepted closed sessions will be requested by the same deadline as proposals for papers.

For more information please contact NCSR2026@abo.fi