Polarized Scientists? Exploring Political Differences about Religion and Science among U.S. Biologists and Physicists

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dc.citation.firstpage5en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber1en_US
dc.citation.journalTitleSociological Forumen_US
dc.citation.lastpage28en_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber36en_US
dc.contributor.authorMehta, Sharan Kauren_US
dc.contributor.authorThomson, Robert A. Jr.en_US
dc.contributor.authorEcklund, Elaine Howarden_US
dc.date.accessioned2021-03-12T22:10:35Zen_US
dc.date.available2021-03-12T22:10:35Zen_US
dc.date.issued2021en_US
dc.description.abstractFrom the Texas textbook debate to the March for Science, visible displays of activism illuminate how deeply politicized the science‐religion interface has become. However, little is known about the extent to which scientists’ attitudes about science and religion are politicized. Using original survey data from 1,989 U.S. academic biologists and physicists, we examine the degree to which political views shape how scientists perceive the relationship between religion and science, religious authority, their personal religious identity, and views on dominant scientific theories. Findings suggest that, indeed, the science‐religion interface holds political meaning for scientists, but in different ways across the political spectrum. Specifically, for politically liberal scientists, atheism and the conflict narrative are particularly politicized belief structures, while politically conservative scientists emphasize religious identity to distinguish themselves from political liberals. Findings point to the critical role of politics in shaping scientists’ attitudes and identities, which may have implications for the scientific enterprise, both at the lab bench and in the political sphere.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMehta, Sharan Kaur, Thomson, Robert A. Jr. and Ecklund, Elaine Howard. "Polarized Scientists? Exploring Political Differences about Religion and Science among U.S. Biologists and Physicists." <i>Sociological Forum,</i> 36, no. 1 (2021) Wiley: 5-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12661.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12661en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/110179en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherWileyen_US
dc.rightsArticle may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.en_US
dc.titlePolarized Scientists? Exploring Political Differences about Religion and Science among U.S. Biologists and Physicistsen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
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