Contemporary World Issues
5 total works
This second edition of an award winning reference work updates and expands its examination of the religious right and its influence on our government, citizens, society, and politics.
The "religious right" is a label that encompasses groups as diverse as mainline and evangelical Protestants, conservative Jews, and Catholics. What prompted these movements to begin? Although there has never been an absolute wall between church and state in the United States-a generation before the Civil War, churches already clashed over slavery-the movement has mostly developed since World War II. This book describes the developing intimacy between the current Religious Right and conservative Republicans.
This second edition of The Religious Right includes an up to date chronology, new biographical sketches, a survey of conservative Christian attitudes, directories of organizations both critical and supportive of the Religious Right, and a 150 page annotated bibliography including radio and TV programs.
* Biographies of the men and women who have advanced the cause and an up to date chronology illuminate the movement's goals
* Further research is aided by annotated listings of print and nonprint resources, websites, and organizations affiliated with the religious right, as well as those in opposition
This comprehensive reference examines the history and importance of youth participation in politics, suggests reasons for their disengagement, and discusses efforts to increase the interest of young voters in the political process-a process in which they could be a controlling factor.
Surveys indicate that those under the age of 30 consistently score the lowest on factual questions about politics, and young people are the least likely to engage in political activity online despite being the age group most likely to use the Internet. Many political researchers and activists are justifiably concerned, linking the low level of political participation among American youth to the overall health of our democratic system.
Youth and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook sheds light on this important subject, identifying and discussing factors that have influenced youth political participation in the past and those that play a role today, including the mass media, political parties, interest groups, and individual attitudes toward political engagement. The book also provides historical perspective by addressing the early years of the Republic, the protest politics of the 1960s, the campaign for the 18-year-old vote, and the results of the 26th Amendment granting that right.
- Biographical sketches of individuals who have played key roles in encouraging political participation among young people and of young people who are, or were, especially active in politics
- A chronology of youth political participation in the United States from the Revolutionary War to the present
- A directory of organizations that have engaged in the study of youth political participation or that encourage such participation
This handbook provides a sweeping overview of U.S. campaign and election reform efforts, past and present, from the introduction of the secret ballot to touch-screen voting.
Emphasizing the major electoral reforms since 2000, this second edition of Campaign and Election Reform investigates the development of the American electoral system from colonial times to the present. It chronicles efforts to expand suffrage, reform campaign financing, and prevent vote fraud, and traces the development of election technology from the paper ballot to the lever voting machine, from the punch-card ballot to the optical-scan and touch-screen systems.
The book also explores alternative voting systems, such as preference voting and proportional representation, and compares the U.S. electoral process with the voting systems of selected European democracies. Campaign and Election Reform, Second Edition is essential reading for any citizen who wants to understand the U.S. electoral system, what's wrong with it, and how it might be fixed.
- Includes extensive quotations from reform advocates, along with excerpts from legislation and court cases related to changing campaign and election procedures
- Summaries of recent research on voter turnout provide a means of evaluating legislation intended to increase voter registration and turnout rates
This insightful reference work explores the relationship between mainline Christian denominations and U.S. politics and public policy, from colonial times to the present.
Mainline Christian Values and U.S. Public Policy: A Reference Handbook provides a revealing and unbiased look at the emergence of Christian denominations as a political force, primarily from the late 19th century to the present.
The book examines the origins, development, current organization and activities, and future prospects of nine mainline U.S. denominations: the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., the Catholic Church, the Christian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. Readers will encounter a surprising variety of Christian voices offering a range of positions on the Iraq War, abortion, same-sex marriage, global warming, stem-cell research, the death penalty, and other controversial issues.
Focusing on religions such as Islam and Buddhism, this volume shows how religion influences politics and vice versa.
Delving into such subjects as the separation of church and state in the United States, the domination of the state by religion in Iran, and the control of religion by the state in China, this survey illuminates cultural differences. This book gives a revealing look at the numerous relationships between religion and politics. In the Church of England, for example, the 26 most senior Anglican bishops have seats in the House of Lords.
Religion and Politics also includes biographical sketches of thinkers and doers whose careers intersected religion and politics in significant ways, from the Berrigan brothers to Osama bin Laden. Also included are data and quotes, a directory of politically active religious groups, and a 150 page annotated bibliography.
- Further research is aided by annotated listings of print and nonprint resources, websites, and organizations affiliated with the religious right as well as those in opposition
- Biographies of significant men and women and an up-to-date chronology illuminate the issues