The political in the work of Roberto Marín Guzmán

Abstract

This article explores the thought of Costa Rican historian Roberto Marín Guzmán, focusing on the relationship between religion and politics, particularly within Islam. By analysing Islam as an ideology, Marín examined historical events such as the Abbasid Revolution, the Mahdist movement, and the Iranian Revolution, revealing how religious beliefs can drive major social and political movements. He also extended his analysis to Christianity, especially regarding the ideological role of the Reconquista. Marín’s work combines sharp analytical insight with a deep ethical and political commitment, notably in his defence of the Palestinian people. He rejected Eurocentric and structuralist approaches, advocating a critical and contextualised reading of history. This text pays tribute to his intellectual and moral legacy and emphasises the relevance of his approach for understanding the entanglement of faith, power, and justice in both historical and contemporary settings.