Christian Nationalism, Race and Respectability, and Expressions of Patriotism and American Identity

• In Event: 40469 - Religion and Politics

Abstract

Extant research narrowly examines CN’s impact on white Americans’ uncritical devotion to the U.S. and argues that CN functions for racial/ethnic minorities to bind them to the nation for the sake of racial respectability. Very little research has considered other types of patriotism and national identification, racial differences, and the role of racial respectability politics. In this study we address these gaps using a large survey (N=4,000) with oversamples of Black (N=1000), Asian (N=1000), and Hispanic Americans (N=1000). We examine Christian nationalism’s association with 1) American identification, 2) symbolic patriotism, 3) uncritical patriotism, 4) constructive patriotism, and 5) cultural patriotism and differences by race. We find that Christian nationalism supports 1, 2, 3, and 5, consistent with expectations. Contrary to previous research, we find that CN is more strongly associated with uncritical patriotism and American identification among Black compared to White Americans. We also find a strong positive association for CN with constructive patriotism among Black Americans and no association with CN for White, Asian, and Hispanic Americans. We find that racial respectability’s link to American identification and symbolic patriotism is mediated by CN only for Black respondents. These findings suggest that Christian nationalism plays a stronger role for Black Americans, compared to others, in their attachment and devotion to the U.S. and patriotic drive to make it better.

Authors

• Kerby Goff, Rice University

• John Iceland, Penn State University

• Eric Silver, Pennsylvania State University