Christian Base Communities and the Building of Democracy
Brazil and Chile
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2590963 |
|---|---|
| Authors | James C Cavendish (University of Notre Dame, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1994 |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 179 |
| Publication date | 1994-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sociology of Religion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1069-4404 • E-ISSN: 1759-8818 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/3711856 |
| OpenAlex | W1991060720 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 13 |
| References cited | 10 |
Among the most significant phenomena in recent South American history are the transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy in Brazil (1985), Argentina (1982–1983), Uruguay (1985), Bolivia (1982), and Chile (1990). The intent of this article is to analyze the influence of Christian base communities (or CEBs, from the Spanish comunidades eclesiales de base) on the two stages of democratic transition in Brazil and Chile: (1) the transition in political regimes and (2) the consolidation of democracy. This article begins by discussing basic concepts employed by analysts of democratic transitions, and then reviews the literature that has related to religion to democracy. Drawing upon the literature concerned with the role of CEBs in democratic transition and consolidation, I then summarize how CEBs — both as organizations and as bearers of political values — have fostered the development of democracy. The conclusions, based on my preliminary observation of CEB activity in Chile and on recent empirical studies, suggest that while base communities continue to encourage democratic values and practices, their future role in this area is likely to diminish
Authoritarianism · Democracy · Democratic consolidation · Democratization · Development economics · Economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Law · Political theory and Gramsci · Religion and Society in Latin America · Religion and Society Interactions
Intersecting inequalities and the Sustainable Development Goals
Religious Change and Politics
Liberation Theology and Social Movements
From Dissent to Democracy
Catholic and Non-Catholic Theologies of Liberation
Religion as a factor of systemic social changes
Passive revolution in Brazil
Democratization and Participation
Nonformal Education, Political Participation, and Democracy
Religious Protection from Populist Violence
The Road Back to Serfdom
The Role of Religious Ideas
We go back to the land
Religion and political conflict in Latin America
New Social Movements, Political Culture, and Democracy
Church Base Communities and Democratic Change in Brazilian Society
Democracy and Religion
Popular Voices in Latin American Catholicism
Cultural Traditions and Political Dynamics
The Renaissance of Political Culture
Base Christian Communities and Social Change in Brazil
Base Communities and Rural Mobilization in Northern Brazil
Origins and Prospects of the Option for the Poor in Brazilian Catholicism
| Unique citing works | 13 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,46 |
| Citation span | 1998 - 2023 (26) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 13 |