< Back to previous page

Project

Religiously inspired solidarity in theory and practice: Catholic poverty organisations, the formation of social assistants and the welfare state (1945-2000)

The PhD studies the changing interaction between religiously inspired forms of social theory and social solidarity on the one hand, and the welfare state and its institutionalised mechanisms of social support on the other. Empirical historical research will focus on two pillars: (1) the discourses, strategies and practices of religiously inspired support organisations and (2) the intellectual formation of social assistants within Catholic higher education in Brussels and Flanders. In both cases, attention will be paid to (ideas about) religion, poverty, and the changing relationship between civil society and the State, in the light of notions such as subsidiarity and welfare pluralism. Both pillars will be linked by studying how alumni of the studied schools became involved (voluntarily/professionally) in religiously inspired poverty organisations. The primary research will be done on the basis of publications and archival material of the organisations and schools, and will be complemented by oral history. The project is part of the broader interuniversity SBO project (Strategic Basic Research with social finality) 'SOLIGION: Co-creation of complementary forms of social support by philosophical and secular welfare state institutions'. SOLIGION, which is led by the University of Antwerp, strives for better forms of cooperation and complementarity between philosophical organisations and secular welfare state institutions with regard to solidarity and social support. This is done on the basis of research into the interaction between both types of organisations through interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches and through the co-creation of new forms of local social support.

Date:1 Oct 2020 →  Today
Keywords:Faith Based Organisation (FBO), Welfare state, Solidarity, Social assistants, Secularization, Subsidiarity, Poverty Organisation
Disciplines:European history, Cultural history, Religion and society
Project type:PhD project