Key research themes
1. How did local mobilization capacity influence anticlerical violence during the Spanish Civil War?
This research area investigates the strategic targeting of local leaders, particularly clergy, in the Spanish Civil War, emphasizing the role of their capacity to mobilize opposition and its impact on patterns of violence. It matters because it reveals the differentiated motives behind civilian victimization and uncovers a pre-emptive logic of violence aimed at suppressing potential resistance, moving beyond broad categorizations of civilian harm.
2. What were the ideological and political foundations of anticlericalism in Spain from the late 18th century to the Spanish Civil War?
This theme examines the intellectual, ideological, and political evolution of anticlericalism in Spain, tracking its origins from the Spanish Counter-Enlightenment through liberal and conservative debates to its radicalization during the Second Republic and Civil War. Understanding these foundations clarifies how anticlericalism was both a cultural and political force closely tied to broader struggles over national identity, secularization, and state power.
3. How did far-right and neofascist networks in post-Civil War Spain interact with anticlericalism and nationalist identity?
This area focuses on post-Civil War Spain’s far-right dynamics, exploring how neofascist groups, ultra-nationalist movements, and emerging far-right social collectives shaped and responded to anticlericalism and notions of Spanish identity. It examines Madrid as a central hub for neofascist networks and the rise of new far-right social actors and their ideological repertoires, shedding light on how these groups contested and radicalized nationalist and religious discourses in Francoist and post-Franco Spain.