Victims of Victory: Race, the Prosperity Gospel, and the Politics of Social Justice in America (with Brian Calfano, Valerie Martinez-Ebers, and Paul DJupe)- Book project under contract with Columbia University Press
Previous studies that have explored the influence of religiosity on public policy attitudes have typically relied on samples of white Americans. However, there is a growing literature that suggests the consequences of religious belief and practice should differ between devout whites and both blacks and Latinos. This project relies upon both pooled ANES data and experimental data to explore how religiosity influences attitudes on social welfare programs between whites, blacks, and Latinos. In particular, the experimental data explores whether underlying dimensions of religious belief shape distinct attitudes between each group. The expectation is that when considering social welfare polices, individualistic attitudes that underlie white Protestant beliefs are likely to illicit greater opposition to such policies. On the other hand, concerns for social justice underlying both black and Latino religious traditions motivate stronger support for social welfare programs.
Community-Oriented Policing, Perceptions of Police Performance, and Trust in Local Government (with Regina Branton, Michelle Ramirez, and Kathryn Womble)
Given the recent social unrest surrounding the use of aggressive policing tactics by law enforcement officers, there has been considerable attention given to police reform, particularly to less abusive, humane methods for ensuring public safety. Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) have been considered as a potential alternative to traditional policing methods, emphasizing collaboration with the communities that police officers protect. Using the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey and 2013 Law Enforcement Management Administration Statistics (LEMAS) data, we examine the relationship between community-oriented policing and African Americans’ perceptions of police performance as well as trust in their local government. Our findings reveal that Black citizens living in areas that have established COPS report more favorable views of police performance and more trust in their local government than those in neighborhoods without community policing. Ultimately, our results suggest the implementation of COPS may bridge the gap between police officers, local governments and the communities that they serve.
All My Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk: Racial Cohesion and Ethnic Distinction between African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans
Studies of group politics tend to be preoccupied with intergroup conflict. However, this focus overshadows how underlying attitudes and perceptions may shape intragroup dynamics. This study examines intra-racial attitudes between African Americans and Afro Caribbeans to explore how they influence both convergence and divergence in group members’ policy preferences. Employing the 2004 National Politics Study (NPS), I discover, first, that negative group stereotypes weaken both groups’ feelings of racial solidarity. Second, although both groups endorse race-based policies and redistributive policies similarly, their preferences diverge on immigration-related issues. Lastly, African Americans’ more conservative immigration stances are shaped by their feelings towards non-black immigrant groups rather than Afro Caribbeans. Alternatively, their negative group attitudes towards Afro Caribbeans have a more profound impact on their preferences on affirmative action and redistribution. Ultimately, the results demonstrate underlying interethnic differences may undermine the potential for stable intragroup political partnerships.