Religious diversity and inter-faith competition: the politics of camouflage in Italian cities

Religions play a significant role in Italian cities and, more generally, in the social, cultural and political lives of Italians. Since 1948, the Italian state has formally been secular, and it guarantees religious freedoms beyond Christianity. However, the reality is much more complex, as the hegemonic position of Catholicism is still evident, and religious minorities often deal with various forms of marginalization, stigmatization and lack of resources. This phenomenon is visible in Italian cities, particularly by looking at the evolving role of Catholic spaces such as parishes, and the parallel struggles for legitimation, visibility and resources of religious minorities. In this scenario, Italy seems to be increasingly characterized by various and uneven forms of inter-faith competition, which also imply rivalry in the spheres of charity, voluntarism and the provision of social services. This paper analyses the relations between religious groups and the Italian state, proposing the idea of a ‘politics of camouflage’ shaping inter-faith competition for resources and legitimation.