Religion, secularisation and nationalism inQuebec and theBasqueCountry: a comparative approach

Abstract

AbstractThis article analyses the relationship between religion, secularisation and nationalism inQuebec and theBasqueCountry using a comparative approach. I will first outline the ethnic‐religiousoriginof these nationalist movements. Second, I will examine the extent to which the ‘new’ secular and violent nationalism (Euskadi Ta AskatasunaandFront de Libération du Québec) that emerged in the 1960s was fuelled in itsoriginby a transfer of sacrality. Third, I will address an aspect that has led some theorists to view religion and nationalism asanalogous phenomena, in which nationalism is construed as a religion of blood sacrifice. Fourth, I will examine another aspect that leads to this view of religion and nationalism as analogous phenomena, as the latter also provides a framework of transcendent meaning through an imaginary of continuity between the different generations. The article concludes with a series of general considerations on the relations between nationalism, secularisation and religion.