EXC 2060 B3-25 - Church actors facing the challenges of urban structural change, 1955-1995: A comparison of Manchester and Essen

Basic data for this project

Description

In the long 1960s, the relationship between religion and progressively secularized societies changed in Western Europe. At the same time, industrial cities were confronted with comprehensive processes of socio-economic transformation due to the decline of industrial production. In addition to politicians, entrepreneurs and trade unionists, the churches were also challenged by the social and political conflicts associated with this upheaval. Churches were potentially productive and shaping actors of politics and civil societies in the urban areas concerned. In my habilitation project, I will therefore investigate the shaping power of church actors in how they interpreted and coped with the social and political challenges of urban structural change. For example, how they formed the discourse; in which ways they participated; and which resources and strategies they used to shape change. I also examinethe effects of internal religious dynamics and religious innovations. My postdoctoral project in contemporary history is conceived as a German-English comparison of two industrial cities, namely Essen and Manchester. Methodologically, it adds for the first time the perspective of the history of religion to approaches to the modern urban history of industrial cities. A microhistorical focus enables me to analyze the fields of action of church actors at the level of districts and parishes, where church and society interacted.