Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon's Books

A Matter of Discretion

The Politics of Catholic Priests in the United States and Ireland

By: Brian R. Calfano,Melissa R. Michelson,Elizabeth A. Oldmixon

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A Matter of Discretion

The Politics of Catholic Priests in the United States and Ireland

By: Brian R. Calfano,Melissa R. Michelson,Elizabeth A. Oldmixon

Clergy are pillars of local religious communities, and Roman Catholic priests are perhaps the quintessential examples of pastors functioning as political elites. The political science literature demonstrates that priests (indeed, clergy more generally) are well-positioned to influence the faithful, even if this influence is somewhat inconsistent. At their core, priests are opinion leaders and representatives of their church to both the faithful and their local communities. But exactly how Catholic priests determine the political acts and attitudes associated with their elite role remains a puzzle. We suggest it is the product of an interactive institutional, social, and psychological milieu, the complexity of which has not been fully assessed in the extant literature. Though some might prefer to think of priests as profiles in courage operating above the political fray, the institutional and personal realities of priest life often forces them to deal with the political realm. In doing so, priests are variably responsive to different principals, or reference groups, that represent specific dimensions of their professional context. Drawing on a series of randomized experiments on samples of Roman Catholic priests in the US and Ireland, we find that priests cognitively draw on varying professional and personal cues in responding to their employer’s institutional preferences. Furthermore, how priests represent their church's political preferences to parishioners appears to be a matter of individual-level discretion.

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Page Count

223

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

1442237252

ISBN 13

9781442237254

Uncompromising Positions

God, Sex, and the U.S. House of Representatives

By: Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon

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Uncompromising Positions

God, Sex, and the U.S. House of Representatives

By: Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon

Cultural factions are an intrinsic part of the fabric of American politics. But does this mean that there is no room for compromise when groups hold radically different viewpoints on major issues? Not necessarily. For example, in a June 2003 Time/CNN poll, 49% of respondents identified themselves as pro-choice and 46% identified as pro-life. But in the same poll, 81% indicated that abortion should be "always legal" or "sometimes legal," suggesting that "pro-life" and "pro-choice" are not discrete positions but allow room for compromise. How do legislators legislate policy conflicts that are defined in explicitly cultural terms such as abortion, gay marriage, and school prayer? American political institutions are frequently challenged by the significant conflict between those who embrace religious traditionalism and those who embrace progressive cultural norms. Uncompromising Positions: God, Sex, and the U.S. House of Representatives investigates the politics of that conflict as it is manifested in the proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives. Oldmixon traces the development of these two distinct cultures in contemporary American politics and discusses the decision-making and leadership tactics used by legislators to respond to this division of values. She argues that cultural conflict produces an absolutist politics that draws on religious values not amenable to compromise politics. One possible strategy to address the problem is to build bipartisan coalitions. Yet, interviews with House staffers and House members, as well as roll calls, all demonstrate that ideologically driven politicians sacrifice compromise and stability to achieve short-term political gain. Noting polls that show Americans tend to support compromise positions, Oldmixon calls on House members to put aside short-term political gain, take their direction from the example of the American public, and focus on finding viable solutions to public policy—not zealous ideology.

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Page Count

268

Publisher

Georgetown University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1589014782

ISBN 13

9781589014787

Uncompromising Positions

God, Sex, and the U.S. House of Representatives

By: Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon

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Uncompromising Positions

God, Sex, and the U.S. House of Representatives

By: Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon

Average ratings

N/A

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Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

268

Publisher

Georgetown University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1589014782

ISBN 13

9781589014787

Book's by Elizabeth Anne Oldmixon

A Matter of Discretion

A Matter of Discretion

Uncompromising Positions

Uncompromising Positions

Uncompromising Positions

Uncompromising Positions

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