Politics and Religion

Table of Contents - April 2012 - Volume 5, Issue 01  

Articles

Religion, Religiosity, and the Moral Divide in Canadian Politics

Adrian Anga1 c1 and John R. Petrocika2 c1

a1 Florida International University

a2 University of Missouri

Abstract

Social group conflict along regional, ethnic, linguistic, and religious cleavages is deeply embedded in the Canadian historical experience. Contemporary analyses, however, have deprecated the role of religion and religiosity in shaping Canadians' political attitudes. This analysis demonstrates that religion and religiosity are significant correlates of Canadian attitudes on moral issues, paralleling the pattern observed in the United States. It demonstrates that the religious cleavage has been a salient feature of Canadian politics for some time and considers whether the contemporary moral divide could serve as a portent of cultural-religious conflict in Canada if a “political entrepreneur” articulated an issue agenda linked to these religion-based differences.

Correspondence:

c1 Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Adrian Ang, Department of Politics and International Relations, Florida International Relations, SIPA Building, Room 440, 11200 SW 8th ST, Miami, FL 33199. E-mail: adrian.ang@fiu.edu; or John Petrocik, Department of Political Science, 113 Professional Building, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. E-mail: petrocikj@missouri.edu

Adrian U-Jin Ang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University.

John R. Petrocik is Professor and Chair in the Department of Political Science, University of Missouri.

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