Books in the Religion and Politics series series

From the first rumblings of the Moral Majority in the 1980s, the Christian Right has been marshalling its forces in an effort to re-shape the landscape of American politics. This work makes an historical analysis of the Christian Right in state politics during its heyday, 1980 to the millennium.

Is the "private" experience of religion counterproductive to engagement in public life? Does the "public" experience of religion contribute anything distinctive to civic engagement? This title offers a fresh approach to key questions about what role religion plays in fostering civic responsibility in contemporary American society.

Provides an introduction and overview of church-state relations in the United States. Exploring the inherent tension between the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment, this work discusses how the fragmented nature of political authority in the US provides the basis for continuing conflict concerning church-state relations.

The Christian Right never ceases to surprise professional observers of American politics. With the Christian coalition in disarray, many expected that the movement would play less of a role in the 2004 elections. This title provides an assessment of the role of the religious right in 2004.

Studies the motivation, strategies, and electoral success of Christian Right school board candidates. Based on interviews, and using a national survey of candidates as well as case studies of two school districts in which conservative Christians ran and served on local boards, this title gives us a complex picture of these candidates.

Drawing on interviews with key figures in Washington, this title reveals the evolution of George W Bush faith-based strategy since his campaign for the presidency through congressional votes. It shows how political rhetoric, infighting, and poor communication shipwrecked Bush's efforts to alter the way government might conduct social services.

Showcases the powerful role of religion in shaping European attitudes on politics, political integration, and the national and continental identities of its leaders and citizens. In this book the authors show, this deep cultural divide, rooted in the struggles of the reformation, resists the ongoing secularization of the continent.

Depicts the ambivalent character of Catholics' mainstream "arrival" in the US over the years, integrating social scientific, historical and moral accounts of persistent tensions between faith and power. This book describes the implications of Catholic universalism for voting patterns, international policymaking, and partisan alliances.

Using the religion clause of the First Amendment as a foundation, the author contends that, just as US law and policy ensure that citizens may express religious beliefs as they see fit, it should also ensure that citizens may marry as they see fit.

Presenting case studies from sixteen countries on five continents, this title paints a portrait of a complex and paradoxical institution whose political role has varied historically and geographically.

Does religion promote political mobilization? Are individuals motivated by their faith to focus on issues of social justice, personal morality, or both? This title examines these topics and assesses one question central to these issues: How does faith shape political action in America's diverse religious communities?

Uses examples from history to demonstrate the genesis of political and religious "whirlwinds." This title explores contemporary case studies, such as conflicts between Mormons and Evangelicals in the United States, liberation theology in Latin America, Islam and the state in Uzbekistan, and radical Christian reconstructionism.

Many Catholic priests, nuns, and brothers in the United States take a strong interest in US policies that affect their 'brothers and sisters' abroad. Based on years of fieldwork and on-the-ground interviews, this title details the transnational bonds that drive the political activities of these Catholic orders.

For well over a century the Catholic Church has articulated clear positions on many issues of public concern, particularly economics, capital punishment, foreign affairs, sexual morality, and abortion. This title offers an examination of the role Catholic clergy play in shaping the political views of their congregations.