Religion has long been examined for its effects on political engagement, with decidedly mixed results. While many writers—going back to Alexis de Tocqueville—argue that religion promotes civic engagement, others assert that in many circumstances, religion may lead to political disengagement, distrust, and cynicism. Of the many ways that religion can affect an individual’s political abilities and activities, political knowledge is both a vital and understudied component. In a paper recently published at Politics and Religion, I argue that while religion will, in some instances, increase political awareness, distrust in the mass media will lead to lower levels of learning about current policy topics. CONT.
Ben Gaskins (Lewis & Clark College), Religion in Public