Description: American society is rapidly secularizing-a radical departure from its historically high level of religiosity-and politics is a big part of the reason. Just as, forty years ago, the Religious Right arose as a new political movement, today secularism is gaining traction as a distinct and politically energized identity. This book examines the political causes and political consequences of this secular surge, drawing on a wealth of original data. The authors show that secular identity is in part a reaction to the Religious Right. However, while the political impact of secularism is profound, there may not yet be a Secular Left to counterbalance the Religious Right. Secularism has introduced new tensions within the Democratic Party while adding oxygen to political polarization between Democrats and Republicans. Still there may be opportunities to reach common ground if politicians seek to forge coalitions that encompass both secular and religious Americans.
Brief description: Geoffrey C. Layman is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics (2001) and has published widely on religion and politics, party politics, public opinion, and voting behavior. He is currently the co-editor of the journal Political Behavior.
Review Quotes: '... presents important new evidence in support of the Backlash Hypothesis.' Bruce Ledewitz, Journal of Church and State