Körperpolitik, (staatstragender) Katholizismus und (De‐)Säkularisierung im 20. Jahrhundert

Auseinandersetzungen um Reproduktionsrechte in Irland und Polen

Abstract

English abstract: The article deals with the question of bio‐politics in Catholic states in the 20th century. At its centre, it looks at the differences in the devel‐ opments of two of these countries (Ireland and Poland) that have historically and culturally a lot in common. The author argues that a decrease in authority of the Catholic Church can be observed in the Irish case that has enabled far‐ reaching changes in law and attitudes in recent years. Its origins can be traced back to the 1960s when the modernization of Ireland began. The anti‐climax took place in the years from 1990s onwards, when scandals about paedophilia in the Church’s ranks became a main issue. It was also the time when different pro‐choice‐pressure groups came forward to question the ban on abortion that was introduced after a referendum in 1983. This ban caused deaths of women and was therefore lifted after a newly referendum in 2018, allowing women for the first time in Irish history to get an abortion on request. Irish scholars interpret these developments as a proof of society’s trust in Irish women. The developments in Poland evolved into the opposite direction. While abortions were legal during Communist reign, they became widely restricted after its fall. This was the result of a long‐term development. Catholic pressure groups had been trying to restrict the law since its introduction in 1956 and succeeded finally in 1993. But the theme of abortion remained a main cleavage in Polish society in the 1990s, when pro‐choice groups demanded a nationwide refer‐ endum. This demand was ignored, and therefore, this can be interpreted as a sign of distrust in (women’s) decision‐making as the decisive body – the Pol‐ ish Parliament – was and is dominated by men putting restrictive body politics into law. Since the election of the national‐conservative party Law and Justice in 2015, body politics have become an ideological battlefield once again.