One pope, two churches: Refugees, human rights and religion in Croatia and Italy

This article analyses the responses of the Catholic Church in Croatia and Italy to the refugee crisis, particularly the churches' discourses on human rights issues and positions in public debates on refugees and migrants. Although both Catholic churches followed the Church's teachings on ‘...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social compass
Authors: Giordan, Giuseppe 1966- (Author) ; ZrinŠščak, Siniša (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage [2018]
In: Social compass
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Italy / Catholic church / Croatia / Refugee aid / Human rights
RelBib Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
CD Christianity and Culture
KBJ Italy
KBK Europe (East)
KDB Roman Catholic Church
Further subjects:B Italie
B refugeesCroatie
B droits de l'homme
B réfugiés
B Human Rights
B Catholic Church
B Italy
B Église catholique
B Croatia
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
Volltext (Verlag)
Description
Summary:This article analyses the responses of the Catholic Church in Croatia and Italy to the refugee crisis, particularly the churches' discourses on human rights issues and positions in public debates on refugees and migrants. Although both Catholic churches followed the Church's teachings on ‘strangers', associated with providing concrete help to people in need, the Catholic Church in Croatia pursued what can be classified as a charitable approach, while the Catholic Church in Italy followed solidarity and utilitarian approaches. Equally, the Catholic Church in Croatia remained a silent public actor in the refugee crisis, while the Catholic Church in Italy became a prominent actor in public debates, engaging with human rights discourses. The selective and ambivalent uses of human rights discourses emerged as a factor in understanding these two churches' different positions on refugees and migrants.
ISSN:1461-7404
Contains:Enthalten in: Social compass
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0037768617745481