Katholizismus und Biografie Möglichkeiten einer Sozialgeschichte jenseits von «Ghetto», «Moderne»und «Antimoderne». (German)

Since the 1960s, international research on Catholicism has undergone various paradigm shifts. In the Swiss discussion, the description of Catholicism as a milieu with a ghetto mentality has remained influential. This is a history of internal unity and opposition to the outside world: from the Kulturkampf of the 19 th century to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. This article traces, historiographically, how this perspective has changed. Recent research paints a more varied picture of the diverse Catholic milieus, emphasizing their ability to change and adapt. A look beyond the anti-modern rhetoric used by some reveals the complex social situation in which the Catholic bourgeoisie, in particular, found itself. Biographies offer a fruitful approach, as they help identify network affiliations, differing loyalties and diverging tonalities within and around a milieu. In fact, the biographical approach is particularly suited to uncovering inner differences and orientations in as upposedly closed environment such as Catholic society. Specifically, the article discusses three proposals for how Catholic life histories, political, social and cultural history can be illuminated without using the often misleading juxtaposition of modernity and anti-modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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