The Catholic Church as a Global Political Player : The Transnational Political Impact of Internacional Pro-Life Organizations on the Public Space in Latin Amercia

Abstract: The research puzzle of this thesis is the global impact of the pro-life discourse of the Catholic Church on the public space in Latin America, using Nicaragua as an illustrative case. The aim is to understand in a global political perspective the transnational impact of the pro-life discursive strategy of the Catholic Church on the public space in Latin America during the period 1995-2020, and how international pro-life organizations have operated tactically to reach their goals. The thesis mainly uses the theory of transnational advocacy networks by Keck and Sikkink (1999) to study the transnational political impact of the pro-life discourse. The research method is based on critical discourse analysis, which has been used to analyse different data sources from international pro-life organizations. The conclusion is that the international pro- life organizations, operating as transnational advocacy networks in Latin America, have developed different political tactics, having a large impact on the public space. The case of Nicaragua is a clear example of how international pro-life organizations, operating as transnational advocacy networks, in collaboration with domestic pro-life groups, managed to put abortion on the political agenda since the 1990s, leading to the prohibition of abortion by the Sandinista government in 2007.