SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH AND CITIZENSHIP: CITIZENSHIP IN ADELA CORTINA IN DIALOGUE WITH “INTEGRAL ECOLOGY”

Abstract

The theme of “citizenship”, object of study in the social and political sciences, is also addressed in the Social Doctrine of the Church. An example of this is the concept of “integral ecology” developed in the encyclical letter Laudato si´ (LS). The analysis of the two concepts allows a broader understanding of both, making it a contemporary and relevant reflection for the debate on the care for the common home and the participation of people in society. This article intends to explain how the notion of citizenship dialogues with the concept of integral ecology, so that the understanding of one and the understanding of the other are mutually enriched. To this end, A. Cortina’s theory of citizenship and the vision of ecology of Catholic social thought will be analyzed, highlighting the elements of contact and convergence between them. In this way, it makes explicit that as citizens exercise their rights, they will contribute to the creation of favorable con¬ditions in the struggle for an integral ecology. On the other hand, commitment to caring for our common home implies guaranteeing a dignified life for people as members of society.

KEYWORDS: Laudato si´. Exercise of Citizenship. Civil Society. Common Home. Social Ethics. Common Good.