Ted G. Jelen

Can individual decisions concerning whether or where to attend church, to contribute time or money to religious organizations, or to forgo certain activities be explained as a special case of economic theory? In Sacred Markets, Sacred Canopies, Ted G. Jelen brings together the leading scholars in the sociology of religion to debate market theories of religion. As the contributors examine whether or not religious choices can be understood as responding to the same laws of supply and demand as other forms of consumer behavior, they bring out many of the issues, controversies, and concerns surrounding this innovative theory. The result is a concise source for the arguments, evidence, and criticism of the market model of religious economies--a perfect starting point for students and scholars approaching this set of problems.

Essays on Religious Markets and Religious Pluralism

Sacred Markets, Sacred Canopies

Presents an empirical study of Perot's 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns and the implications for third-party politics in the United States.

The Perot Phenomenon and Beyond

Ross for Boss

The 1988 Election year, showcasing two ordained ministers seeking presidential nomination, made it apparent that religion is an important force on the U.S. political landscape. The result of such visible roles by religious elites raises many questions including the boundaries between the sacred and the secular, the size and importance of various politico/religious constituencies, and the effectiveness of religiously based elite-mass communications. In response, political scientists are devoting an increasing amount of time to studying the interaction of religion and politics. Taking the first step toward answering these questions, Religion and American Political Behavior is a collection of 15 articles written by prominent political scientists. Reflecting the current state of research the articles are diverse and eclectic. They are all written from a behavioral perspective and are based on a careful collection of empirical data. This collection contains a variety of substantive findings that will be of particular value to students and scholars in the social sciences, religion, and political science. The book is divided into three parts. The first part deals directly with the methodological difficulties of measuring religious phenomena. This section also serves as an introduction to students or scholars with little background in this field. The second part constituting the body of the work, confronts the question of how religion affects the political attitudes and beliefs of ordinary citizens. The final part is unique to this collection. Entitled Elite Perspectives, it consists of seven articles with a common theme: the impact of religion on the political behavior of elite members of society, including journalists, lobbyists, public officials, political contributors, and clergy.

Religion and Political Behavior in the United States

Mark J. Rozell

This all-encompassing encyclopedia provides a broad perspective on U.S. politics, culture, and society, but also goes beyond the facts to consider the myths, ideals, and values that help shape and define the nation. • Offers approximately 225 entries covering U.S. politics, culture, society, and beliefs • Includes an introductory overview of the forces that have shaped and continue to shape American political culture and a concluding essay that gathers key thematic threads and looks toward the future • Covers the myriad ways in which American political culture influences other aspects of American society • Examines how cultural symbols and beliefs are manipulated to advance political interests and establish government authority • Connects new issues such as social media and sexual politics with the political culture

An Encyclopedia

American Political Culture: An Encyclopedia [3 volumes]

Marthe A. Chandler

This edited collection examines various aspects of the explosive abortion issue in the United States and Canada. In both countries, decisions of the national supreme court have made access to legal abortion easier than had previously been the case. This volume looks at the aftermath of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. and Morgantaler v. Regina in Canada. Individual chapters deal with the rhetoric of public discourse, public opinion at the mass level, political reasoning on the part of religious and pro-life activists, and the role of religion in political socialization on the abortion issue. Methodologically, the volume includes survey research, content analysis, participant observation, and political theory. The list of contributors includes some of the leading political scientists and sociologists working in the field.

Studies in Public Opinion

Abortion Politics in the United States and Canada

Mehran Tamadonfar

Religion and Regimes: Support, Separation, and Opposition emphasizes the changing political role of religion in various nations of the world. The approach is based on market models of religion, and connects the style of religious politics in a given nation to the nature of competition among dominant religious traditions and their alternatives.

Support, Separation, and Opposition

Religion and Regimes

Mary Segers

Clarke E. Cochran

Should the wall of separation between church and state be permeable or inviolable? This question has been hotly contested since the nation's founding and contentious debates persist today. With a collection of the most significant documents and an introduction by Clarke E. Cochran that provides the historical context of the debate, prominent scholars Mary Segers and Ted Jelen debate the impact of organized religion on the democratic process, examine its influence on political discourse, and discuss its significance for the creation of public policy.

Ted G. Jelen

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