Book Description

A historically informed and nuanced look at the growing religious diversity of contemporary Spain. Contemporary Spain is no longer exclusively identified with Catholicism. This book sets out to understand the social dynamics of twenty-first-century Spain through the perspective of religion and religious pluralism in the country, addressing both the recent history and contemporary landscape of secularism, Christianity, and Islam in Spain. The book is divided into three parts. The first part analyzes Spanish secularization during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It pays particular attention to the process of secularization during the Second Republic and to the "quiet" secularization of society that began under Franco's regime. The second part addresses changes that have taken place within Catholicism and the reaction of the Protestant minority to increasingly rapid shifts in social mores. The final part addresses questions such as the history of Islam in Spain's colonial management, how Islam is viewed by other religions, the impact of the March 11, 2004 attacks, and Islamophobic discourse in Spain. Religious Landscapes in Contemporary Spain is essential reading for scholars and students in history and contemporary affairs.