THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MIRCEA ELIADE’S WORK IN EXAMINING CONTEMPORARY IBERO-LUSITANIAN CULTURE
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MIRCEA ELIADE’S WORK IN EXAMINING CONTEMPORARY IBERO-LUSITANIAN CULTURE

Summary/Abstract: The paper explores how Mircea Eliade’s concepts of myth, the sacred, and symbolism remain relevant in analyzing contemporary Ibero-Lusitanian culture, particularly in Spain and Portugal. Despite increasing secularization and globalization, sacred elements persist in transformed forms—such as bullfighting, football stadiums, and religious festivals—serving as spaces of collective identity and symbolic experience. Eliade’s theories help interpret modern literature, cinema, and political discourse, where myths continue to shape national identity and societal values. For example, the myth of Sebastianism in Portugal and historical nostalgia in Spain reflect how the past is symbolically reactivated to address present challenges. Ultimately, the paper argues that even in secular societies, myth and the sacred play a key role in understanding culture, offering a powerful interpretive framework for modern social and political realities.

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