SECULARIZATION, CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN ABORTION ACCESS: THE CASES OF ITALY AND SWEDEN

The main objective of this dissertation is to analyze how the process of secularization in Italy and Sweden influences the policies and judicial decisions of their courts regarding conscientious objection and religious freedom among healthcare professionals in cases related to abortion. To this end, the study draws on theories of secularization developed by José Casanova and Charles Taylor, and includes an analysis of two case studies, as well as the decisions of domestic courts in Grimmark v. Sweden and CGIL v. Italy. The dissertation seeks to demonstrate that both Italy and Sweden maintained, at different moments in their historical trajectories, a close relationship with Christianity, albeit with varying degrees, durations, and origins. Over time, political and social factors contributed to transforming the role of religion within their societies. The primary focus is on Christianity, due to its strong historical influence in both countries; In the first chapter, I examine the tradition of natural law, from its grounding in biblical writings, and its development through philosophers and theologians, to the modern era, in which rights evolved from objective to subjective. In the second chapter, I address the phenomenon of secularization in the European context, seeking to identify distinct levels and forms of secularization across the continent. In the third and final chapter, I focus specifically on Italy and Sweden, analyzing the influence of secularization on their approaches to religious freedom and conscientious objection in relation to abortion, drawing on the theories of secularization developed by José Casanova and Charles Taylor. As a result of my research, I conclude that the degree of secularization in Italy and Sweden affects the way both countries deal with conscientious objection and religious freedom in relation to abortion with both countries having their own particularities shaped by religious culture and political decisions made over the years.