3.0 Learning Objectives and Introduction
Learning Objectives
LO 3.1: Explain how social structure and social institutions are related.
LO 3.2: Examine religion as a social institution.
LO 3.3: Contrast groups and networks.
LO 3.4: Describe bureaucracies.
LO 3.5: Explain power and authority.
LO 3.6: Discuss the process of religious and political socialization.
LO 3.7: Describe the U.S. and global religious landscapes.
Introduction
Religious membership and support for political parties are correlated with each other in the United States. Christians (Catholics and Protestants) lean toward the Republican party (Pew Research Center, 2024). However, until the 1960s Catholics were reliably Democrat, became more evenly split among Democrats and Republicans through the 1990s, and began leaning Republican since about 2014 (Colubiewski, 2008; Pew Research Center, 2024). Jews, Muslims, and people unaffiliated with a religion lean toward the Democratic party. A sociological eye can help explain why religious and political party affiliations are correlated and identify important exceptions to broader trends.
Political science research shows a relationship between religion and politics during childhood socialization. Margolis (2018) analyzed experimental and survey data to understand this relationship. Her research findings suggest that raising children prompts people to renew their involvement in religious activities. Moreover, parents’ political identities influence their decisions about religion. In practice this means that parents seek religious groups that reflect their political ideology (Margolis, 2018). Parents’ decisions about their children’s religious upbringing, therefore, are also decisions about political socialization.
Photo 3.1
Parents May Send Their Children to Sunday School for Religious Socialization
Racial and ethnic group membership are also correlated with religion and political party support. For instance, while 59 percent of all Protestants lean Republican, only 11 percent of Black Protestants do. A swap also occurs among White and Hispanic Catholics: 37 percent of White Catholics lean Democrat compared to the 35 percent of Hispanic Catholics who lean Republican (Pew Research Center, 2024). Religion, race and ethnicity, and political party affiliation are linked to each other. As a result, political parties are stratified by race, ethnicity, and religion.
The relationship between religious affiliation and political party support has changed. In 2023, 52 percent of Catholics identified as Republican, while in 1994, 51 percent identified as Democrat (Pew Research Center, 2024). In other words, Catholics are shifting from the Democratic to the Republican party. However, in 1994 White Catholics were evenly split (49% supported the Republic party and 48% supported the Democratic party). By 2023, 61% of White Catholics support Republicans and 37% support Democrats.
Among White nonevangelical and Black and Hispanic Protestants, party switching has been minimal between 1994 and 2023 (Pew Research Center, 2024). However, a major shift has occurred among White evangelical Protestants. In 1994, 65% supported Republicans and today 85% do. In short, some social change has occurred in political party support for some religious groups, especially when segments of major religions and race are considered.
Whether someone takes part in religion or not, the dominant religion in a geographic area may provide structure to all. Christianity structures cultural norms and values in the United States, even though the government does not formally favor one religion over another. Government offices close for the Christian holiday of Christmas, but not for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, for example. However, some public school districts do close for major Jewish or Muslim holidays if there are a significant number of students and teachers from these religions in the area.