The role of spiritual dimension: The continuum between pragmatics and transcendence in the construction of confessionals within Portuguese prison settings

• In Event: Prison Working Group: Prison perceptions, experiences, and transcendence

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to understand the balance point between the utilitarian element of a prison labor endeavor and a more spiritual dimension that could emerge throughout an unusual task in their prison lives.


This presentation will exhibit first hand experiences towards a particular labor experience in order to understand its impact on a more transcendental level, namely at a religious and spiritual dimensions, and both on a practical and functional level related to prison adaptation.

This analysis will highlight the testimonies of convicted male inmates who were involved within three Portuguese prison facilities in the construction of 150 confessionals used at the World Youth Days Journeys (WYD)[a religious event that took place in Lisbon, 2023]. The 16 narratives were recorded through audio support and qualitative content analyses was carried out.

To give room to the participants’ critical senses, it was considered interesting to collect their subjective experiences through an original empirical approach. On a methodological ground, the semi-structured interviews targeted to collect relevant testimonies during the duration of the entire project. For this purpose, a PowerPoint presentation was prepared, with videos and news broadcasted in various media related to this experience. Additionally, key words (some of them religion/spirituality related) have been introduced by the researchers in order to be chosen according to their preferences and meanings. Throughout the in-depth conversations, regarding that specific prison activity, it was apprehended their perceptions and interpretations of the impact of this experience in civil society. Besides, the empirical battery was prepared to give full opportunity for inmates’ sharing of related and interconnected experiences in their prison rehabilitation, criminal path, family ties, hopes and failures.

In an unprecedented way, insiders of the Portuguese prison system conducted research with the advantage of know-how from their branches of experience.

Authors

• Claudia Resende, DGRSP / CICS.NOVA.FCSH

• Paulo Resende, DGRSP / CICS.NOVA.FCSH