Pius XII and Decolonization: Catholicism in North Africa and the Levant

this conference examines the Catholic Church’s engagement with decolonization in North Africa and the Levant during the pontificate of Pius XII (1939–1958). This conference seeks to explore key questions: What role did the Catholic Church – both as an institution and as a diverse religious community – play in decolonization? How did Vatican diplomacy interact with local clergy, indigenous populations, and political movements? To what extent were these interactions shaped by competition, hybridization, and exchange? How did decolonization influence doctrinal transformations in the 1940s and 1950s, paving the way for the Second Vatican Council? The conference aims to critically engage with newly available sources, prioritizing transnational perspectives and highlighting the agency of marginalized actors. In addition to the recently declassified archives of Pius XII, scholars employing diverse methodologies and archival materials are welcomed.