Religion and its Role in Addressing Three Critical Social Issues in Africa: Gender-Based Violence, Crime, and Poverty

Abstract

This December edition of the Journal for the Study of Religion problematizes the role and influence of religion on societies in Africa as they navigate three of the most challenging social issues in Africa, namely gender-based violence (GBV), crime, and poverty. The articles in this edition look at Muslim communities, Christian communities, southern African language communities, and prison communities exploring what role religions play in helping ordinary people to deal with the challenges of GBV, crime, and poverty. The findings of these articles suggest that religious interventions have little effect on practically reducing crime or the lowering of GBV. The articles by both Banda and Isiko and Kisekka indicate the different ways in which scholars think about the role that many people in Africa believe religion can or does have on addressing poverty.