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The Roman Catholic Church and the Immigration Issue

The Relative Secularization of Political Life in Spain

CERVL-CNRS, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Bordeaux, France

Immigration has come to the fore in Spain, Italy, and Portugal, turning into a political issue both with regard to public policy and political jousting in Spain and Italy. In this context, secular and Catholic third sectors are actively engaged in building a "register of hospitality" quite distinct from other interpretations of immigration, such as security-oriented, utilitarian, or citizenship-based approaches. This article analyzes the role played by the Catholic church in Spain and highlights the way a religious institution builds a threefold register of interpretation. The article provides significant insights into the relative secularization of immigration-related politics in Spain and Southern Europe. Catholic activism indicates that effective withdrawal of the church as a dominant social institution has not signified the demise of its influence on the political scene. In fact, the church’s activism highlights a political void occasioned by the inability of political and administrative actors to cope with this issue.

Key Words: Catholic church • Spain • immigration • secularization

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