Abstract
Global conservatism is intertwined with the influence of religion and state, especially in the context of right-wing populism is often defended by religious teachings. The Roman Catholic church, under Pope Francis, has reversed the roles of secular and non-secular states by challenging the pre-conceived idea that religion is more conservative than secular states. The liberal leanings of the Vatican City have been criticized by US right wing populism, revealing the intensity of conservative ideologies. Pope Francis’ agenda has underlying personal influences from the Argentinian right wing revolution. The Catholic church sided with the resistance against the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance military junta, as they promoted social justice, economic independence, and political sovereignty. Fearing attacks, Pope Francis protected the church by discarding any literature evidence Jesuits had on socialism, Gramscism, Marxism, the working class, Brecht, Peronsim and liberalization. Accusations against a single individual of having hard line right-wing views turned the largest religious organization in the world slightly more progressive. This research connects the Argentine Dirty War to the current liberal leaning Vatican led by Jorge Bergolio of Argentina and do a contemporary analysis of Catholicism in Latin America before and after the right wing revolution. The under-focused element of Catholicism in right wing movements through the Vaticans contemporary political roots in Argentina provides a precautionary understanding of the future.
Presenters
Victoria YoungInstructor, Political Science, Concordia University of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
AGENTINA, CATHOLICISM, VATICAN, ITALY, USA, RIGHT-WING, POPULISM, POPE FRANCIS, MARXISM
