Title: Achilles and the tortoise. A society monopolized by Catholicism faced with an unexpected religious pluralism
Abstract: From the religious standpoint, the Italian case is a good example of how, and to what extent, a symbolically monopolistic system can be transformed exogenously. Using the famous paradox of Achilles and the tortoise attributed to the pre-Socratic philosopher Zeno of Elea (5th century BC), the author analyzes the social changes taking place in Italy from a particular angle, i.e. the passage from a society under a Catholic monopoly to one characterized by an unprecedented and unexpected religious pluralism. The maps illustrating the presence of a number of religions other than that of a typical Italian’s birth (Catholicism) show how the country’s social and religious geography is changing. Such a change is a major novelty in a country that has always seen itself as Catholic for long-standing historical reasons and also for deeply rooted and still strong cultural motives.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-09-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 28
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