ISOR Team Awarded the Àlex Seglers Memorial Prize

The research group Investigations in the Sociology of Religion (ISOR-UAB, now BCURE) has been awarded the Àlex Seglers Memorial Prize 2025, presented on 25 September 2025 at an event held in Sabadell. The jury highlighted the group’s pioneering, long-standing work in studying religious diversity from a scientific and sociological perspective.

The director of ISOR-BCURE, Mar Griera, accepted the award on behalf of the team and expressed triple gratitude: to the researchers who have been part of the group over the past fifty years, with special mention of the sociologist Joan Estruch, founder of ISOR-BCURE; to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Fundació Autònoma Solidària (FAS) for supporting the study of religions from a secular standpoint; and to the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya) for promoting a country that is more open and attentive to religious diversity. In her closing remarks, Griera reaffirmed ISOR-BCURE’s commitment to “continue doing its small part to achieve a more open and dialogue-oriented society.”

The ceremony also included an address by the UAB’s Secretary General, Esther Zapater, who stressed the importance of consolidating the prize, which this year marks its thirteenth edition. Zapater noted that this is the first time a research group has received the distinction and praised ISOR-BCURE’s international reach and its knowledge transfer both to public administrations and to social organizations.

The event concluded with remarks by Sabadell’s First Deputy Mayor, Eloi Cortés, who recalled his time as a sociology student at the UAB, where he was taught by members of ISOR-BCURE. In his speech, he referred to the global context—shaped by the rise of extremist political movements and the situation of the Palestinian people—to underscore “the continued relevance of the values represented by Seglers’ legacy.”

Half a century of research on religion and society

Founded in 1974, ISOR was the first university-based team in Catalonia dedicated specifically to the study of religion from a scientific and sociological perspective. Over its fifty-year history, the group has produced landmark research on religious phenomena in both the Catalan and international contexts, adopting a critical and interdisciplinary approach.

Among its most notable contributions is the Religious Map of Catalonia, which analyzes—both quantitatively and qualitatively—the presence of smaller religious communities across the territory. In recent years, ISOR has placed particular emphasis on research into religious diversity and the social impact of this pluralism.

The Àlex Seglers Memorial

The prize is named after Àlex Seglers (1970–2010), a jurist and UAB professor internationally recognized for his expertise in ecclesiastical law and for his commitment to defending diversity and coexistence.

The award, promoted by the Sabadell City Council in collaboration with the UAB, the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona Provincial Council, the Catalan Federation of Municipalities, the Catalan Association of Municipalities, and the Bosch i Cardellach Foundation, honors each year individuals and organizations that have stood out for fostering dialogue and religious plurality.

In the 2025 edition, alongside ISOR-BCURE, the educator Lidia Muniesa was also honored. She is the driving force behind the Música al Barri project, which uses music as a tool for social cohesion.