Freedom of religion and worship places: visualization of religious pluralism at local level

Abstract

The visualization of religious pluralism in the public sphere is a growing phenomenon in all major European cities, and one of the elements that most clearly reflects it is the proliferation of worship places for religious minorities. In many cases, these situations have been quite conflictive, generating bases that make coexistence at local level more difficult. Attitudes coming from public opinion and the speeches by public administration representatives have clashed with the demands of religious communities. These tensions describe a situation where a greater effort should be made to accommodate basic demands related to a human right such as freedom of religion. This article, based on a particular case, pretends to identify the basic fundaments that should be taken into account when the management of religious pluralism is faced at the local level.

Published online: 11 December 2017