Social capital research shows a strong connection between voting and participation in civic events such as religious activity. Research through the Center could examine such connections as well as how religion plays a role in shaping public opinion in the political sphere.
| DISCIPLINES:
• Political Science • Public Policy |
Topics such as abortion and stem cell research are well known, but religious believers also often have strong opinions on topics such as the minimum wage, immigration, welfare reform, the death penalty and social justice issues such as poverty. The media have been accused of classifying religious voters as left- or right-wing, but often those within the same faith fall on different sides of the spectrum depending on the issue. Also interesting for study is the use of the church platform as a means of fund-raising and campaigning.
Politicians and religion: The visibility of politicians’ religion has become part of the process of elections. How a presidential candidate answers the question of religion, for example, can influence how a voter thinks about that candidate, as well as his or her platform. In 2004 the talk was about how Republicans owned the issues of religion and values, but many so-called “values voters” voted Democratic in 2006, leading to questions about how much religious affiliation wins certain voters, and when policy, platforms and records begin to trump those affiliations. Some would argue that politicians are too entrenched in religion to serve their constituencies well, though other questions have also been raised, such as the connection between a politician’s religious values and actual policy. Religious conservatives have been accused of having too much connection between those two, whereas others have been decried for their hypocrisy in terms of corruption.
The U.S. is also seeing more religious diversity among politicians. Much has changed since 1960, when President John F. Kennedy faced concern during his campaign over whether he could be Catholic and the President. In 2006, Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison was elected the first Muslim in the U.S. Congress. Massachusetts governor and Mormon Mitt Romney launched primary campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination in both 2008 and ahead of the 2012 election (though he would not be the first Mormon to run for president – Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made an unsuccessful bid in 1844). Politicians’ religious affiliations may at times be controversial, but Americans have long favored presidents with a religious persuasion. A recent Newsweek poll found that only 37 percent of Americans said they’d be willing to vote for an atheist for president – down from 49 percent in a 1999 Gallup poll.
Government policy: One of the critical questions in First Amendment law is how much influence the Founding Fathers intended religion to have in public policy. The historical religious background of the Founders is also one that has been intensely studied and debated. These issues are at the core of many debates in this country, such as whether the government ought to allow – or enforce – prayer in public schools. Other issues involve prayer at public meetings or recent court orders to remove the Ten Commandments from courtrooms. In 2000 there was much debate over government funding of faith-based initiatives. The latest debate is whether the government should fund stem-cell research, which comes with an array of ethical issues for many religious believers and others. Research with the Center could look at such issues, helping to understand the religious influences of public policy. In addition, the Center’s position in the School of Journalism could look at coverage of those debates and ethical issues in terms of influence.
International issues: Public opinion concerning conflicts in the Middle East and Africa have religious contexts to them, both for those suffering in those conflicts and also the way in which those here in the United States think about those conflicts. Understanding the patterns of thinking that cause conflict is useful for those interested in political science. Researchers could also look at faith and how it interacts with public policy because of news media coverage. Religion also has influence in other arenas, including the support Israel has from many American evangelicals and how this could be a possible cause for escalation in the war on terror.
Public life: The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have given researchers more areas to examine in light of the religious context behind those events. Attitudes toward Muslims in America are worthy of study in light of the news context in which those events occurred. Examining issues involving hate crimes, civil liberties, religious profiling and national security policy are worthwhile in today’s political climate. In addition, examining the role religion has played in helping Americans cope with the attacks is vital and useful in understanding the organizing role religion plays in U.S. society.