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The Political Incorporation of Muslims in the United States: The Mobilizing Role of Religiosity in Islam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2017

Karam Dana ,
Bryan Wilcox-Archuleta  and
Matt Barreto
Karam Dana
Affiliation:
School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Bothell
Bryan Wilcox-Archuleta*
Affiliation:
Political Science, University of California
Matt Barreto
Affiliation:
Political Science and Chicana/o Studies, University of California
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Bryan Wilcox-Archuleta, Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 4289 Bunche Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095. E-mail: bwa@ucla.edu
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Abstract

Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, popular perceptions in the United States, especially among political elites, continue to believe that religious Muslims oppose American democratic traditions and values. While many studies find positive relationships between mosque attendance and civic participation among U.S. Muslims, an empirical and theoretical puzzle continues to exist. What is missing is research that examines the relationships between the multi-dimensional concept of religiosity and how this is associated with public opinion and attitudes towards the American political system among Muslim Americans. Using a unique national survey of Muslim Americans, we find a positive relationship between religious beliefs, behavior, and belonging and perceptions of compatibility with American democratic traditions. Quite simply, the most religious are the most likely to believe in political integration in the United States.

Keywords

Political incorporationidentityAmerican MuslimsreligiosityIslam in the West
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , September 2017 , pp. 170 - 200
Copyright
Copyright © The Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association 2017 

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