Houses of Worship and the Microfoundations of Political Socialization

• In Event: Religion and Politics beyond the Nation-State

Abstract

As places that bring together communities for common purpose, houses of worship can also play a role in political socialization by exposing ordinary individuals to political messages and norms of civic participation. The information and norms acquired through houses of worship can be further diffused through individuals' social networks. The social processes that take place within worship spaces are frequently presumed in the mechanisms linking religious causal variables to political outcomes, yet this process of diffusion is understood at only a general level, raising several questions. How do co-worshipers build and sustain community relationships? How do the social ties formed with co-worshipers compare to other forms of social engagement? Is there variation across religious denominations? How do the norms of community building and diffusion that exist connect to existing political and civic structures? This paper examines these questions through a comparative case study of four mosques and four churches in a single Indonesian city. Drawing on participant observation of activities in these houses of worship and an original survey data from worshipers in these communities, this paper will demonstrate that while both mosques and churches create opportunities for social connection and diffusion in the worship and auxiliary activities that they offer, there is meaningful variation within both Christian and Muslim communities regarding how these social opportunities are structured and availed. In describing how houses of worship serve as nodes of diffusion for both information and norms related to political socialization, this paper challenges a more simplified view of religious difference that assumes similar structure and diffusion opportunities within houses of worship of the same religious tradition.

Author

• Danielle Nicole Lussier, Grinnell College