Secularisations within the Mediterranean : a study on France and Malta

Abstract

The Mediterranean has frequently been considered as the ‘underbelly’ of northern Europe, having long serving as the backdrop for ambitious endeavours and extraordinary events. It is only with the advent of popular tourism in the late twentieth century and the newfound independence of ex-colonial states that the identity of the Mediterranean has been reconstructed. This fresh interest in the Mediterranean region has sparked debate as to what actually is the Mediterranean and what constitutes its legitimacy. While adopting a homogenous definition for Mediterranean nations has proven futile, the very act of discussing “the Mediterranean” as a concept confirms its legitimacy. This dissertation will therefore explore the diversity found within the Mediterranean by looking at two cases, France and Malta. While it may be impossible to find a common factor between these countries, this dissertation will seek to explore the modernising process of secularism and how this is manifested in each country. This dissertation is therefore not a comparison of the two, but is rather meant to illustrate the various forms of secularism which have emerged within specific contexts. It therefore seeks to illustrate three main hypotheses; that secularisation is neither universal nor self-evident; that it is a product of the cultural and historical context from= which it emerges; that secularisation is therefore a cultural phenomenon. The complex relationship between Europeanness and Mediterraneanness will further be revealed as the discussion of these research questions develops.