1. Vaughan, K., Park, J. Z., Tom, J. C., & Yilmaz, M. (2022). “Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t: Perceived Discrimination and the Paradoxes of Assimilation among U.S. Muslims.” Sociological Perspectives, 0(0). https://doi-org.ezproxy.spu.edu/10.1177/07311214221114294
2. Martinez, B.C., Tom, J.C. and Baker, J.O. (2022), Flowing Across with Demonic Hate: Belief in Supernatural Evil and Support for Stricter Immigration Policy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 61: 408-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12787
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
Article;
1.https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.spu.edu/doi/full/10.1177/07311214221114294
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jssr.12787
1. Research on experiences of marginalized groups in the U.S. typically identify two paths towards less discrimination: assimilation into the dominant culture or retraction into tight-knit communities of shared cultural heritage. Using data from the 2012 Pew Survey of Muslim Americans we identify social correlates of discriminatory experiences among Muslim Americans, a group that typically occupies multiple marginalized identities including minority religion, race and immigrant status. We find that variables associated with both assimilation and resistance to assimilation predicted discriminatory experiences among Muslim Americans, suggesting they exist in a difficult position where both traditional strategies of discrimination amelioration are not wholly protective.
2. We extend the literature on belief in supernatural evil to contemporary American politics by showing its connection to views on immigration policy. Based on analyses of the 2014 Baylor Religion Survey belief in supernatural evil is the strongest predictor of support for stricter immigration policy, even controlling for political orientation and education. We explore the rhetoric of supernatural evil and spiritual warfare in American political culture and suggest that our findings point towards the supernaturalization of politics in the American imagination.