Catholicism as Identity Factor among the French Canadian Minority

Authors

  • Martin Geoffroy Université de Moncton

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.v21i1.6

Keywords:

French Canadians, Identity, Manitoba, New-Brunswick, Quebec

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to illustrate the unceasing relevance of the link between Catholic conservatism and French Canadian identity, especially in the cases of the French minorities of the provinces of New-Brunswick and Manitoba, and, more surprisingly, in the province of Quebec. The unceasing relevance of this link is illustrated with our comparative study of the reactions of these three French communities to immigration and to the secular state’s legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodation towards a number of religious demands. More generally, these case studies will show the importance of religion, not only as an identity factor, but also as an identity marker.

Author Biography

  • Martin Geoffroy, Université de Moncton
    Martin Geoffroy is Assistant Professor in sociology at Université de Moncton in Canada. He holds a PhD and MSc in Sociology from the Université de Montréal and a BA in Communication from the Université du Québec à Montréal, UQAM. He is the author of 20 academic papers and has co-edited one book and four special issues of academic journals, notably the International Journal of Politics and Culture and Society. His work centres on comparative studies of religion in Canada, the United States and France. In 2003–2004, he was a Fordham University Postdoctoral Research Fellow in New York. He is presently working on fundamentalism, globalization, violence and religion and identity in minority groups. For more information, see http://www.umoncton.ca/geoffrm.

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Published

2008-08-20

How to Cite

Geoffroy, M. (2008). Catholicism as Identity Factor among the French Canadian Minority. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 21(1), 6-16. https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.v21i1.6