European Culture Wars?

Abstract

The notion of culture wars imported from the US may be understood in two ways. On the one hand, it may relate to a societal cleavage on religious issues between religious/secular or conservative/liberal people. The level of secularisation in Europe makes this scenario rather unlikely. On the other hand, culture wars may refer to a political strategy using religion about social, identity or ethical matters as a symbolic resource to turn private problems into public controversy, to radicalise positions, to attract media attention, to search for distinction in party competition or to claim recognition as policy actors. Papers are invited to discuss this distinction between religion as an issue in itself and as an instrument to frame non-religious debates. Several cases studies will be offered at the national and supranational levels in the EU.

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