Changing context, changing opportunities: the effect of political opportunity structures on the political evolution of the Roman Catholic church in Poland and Slovenia, 1992-2005

Baker, Krista Frances (2009) Changing context, changing opportunities: the effect of political opportunity structures on the political evolution of the Roman Catholic church in Poland and Slovenia, 1992-2005. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The sweeping social, political, and economic changes that occurred over the period from 1992 to 2005 in Poland and Slovenia tested the Roman Catholic Church with a new structure of opportunities for and constraints upon political activity. The aim of this study was to discover how this shifting political opportunity structure affected the Church's ability to take part in the post-Communist political process. The relatively volatile nature of Polish politics, combined with a religiously adherent, yet somewhat skeptical, society presented the Polish Church with a political opportunity structure that was often variable, yet predominantly favourable for the Church. This allowed the Church to make considerable political gains. In contrast, the Slovene Church faced a remarkably different context than its Polish counterpart. A relatively stable political system and openly skeptical Slovene society presented few openings to the Church to attain a significant influence in politics and, aside from a few state concessions in the early 2000s, the Church was shut out of politics.

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