featured
Braunstein, Ruth, 2022. A Theory of Political Backlash: Assessing the Religious Right’s Effects on the Religious Field. Sociology of Religion. 83(3): 293–323.
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"For lack of a better term, this paper ["A Theory of Political Backlash"] essentially functions as a grand unified theory that helps explain not only many of the major sociological shifts within American religion, but also massive, sea change-level effects on American politics." |
books
COMING SOON!
Braunstein, Ruth. April 2025. My Tax Dollars: The Morality of Taxpaying in America. Princeton University Press. |
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. Prophets and Patriots: Faith in Democracy Across the Political Divide. University of California Press
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Braunstein, Ruth, Todd Nicholas Fuist and Rhys H. Williams, Eds. 2017. Religion and Progressive Activism: New Stories About Faith and Politics. NYU Press.
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Braunstein, Ruth, Ed. 2019. Religion, Humility and Democracy in a Divided America (Political Power and Social Theory, Vol. 36). Emerald Publishing Limited
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articles and chapters
articles
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. "Toward a Cultural Sociology of Taxation." Socio-Economic Review, 22(2): 931–952.
Braunstein, Ruth, 2022. "A Theory of Political Backlash: Assessing the Religious Right’s Effects on the Religious Field." Sociology of Religion. 83(3): 293–323.
Braunstein, Ruth, Andrew Whitehead, and Ryan Burge. 2021. “Religion, Politics, and Public Funding for Abortion.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 61(1): 230-41.
Perry, Samuel L., Ruth Braunstein, Philip S. Gorski, Joshua B. Grubbs. 2021. “Historical Fundamentalism? Christian Nationalism and Ignorance about Religion in American Political History.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 61(1): 21-40.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2021. “The ‘Right’ History: Religion, Race, and Nostalgic Stories of Christian America.” Religions 12(2): 95.
Baker, Joseph O., Gerardo Martí, Ruth Braunstein, Andrew L Whitehead, Grace Yukich. 2020. “Editor’s Note: Religion in the Age of Social Distancing: How COVID-19 Presents New Directions for Research.” Sociology of Religion 81(4): 357–370.
Braunstein, Ruth, Todd Fuist, and Rhys Williams. 2019. Religion and progressive politics in the United States. Sociology Compass13(2): e12656.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. Boundary-work and the demarcation of civil from uncivil protest in the United States: control, legitimacy, and political inequality. Theory and Society 47(5): 603-633.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. A (more) perfect union? Religion, politics, and competing stories of America. Sociology of Religion 79(2): 172–195.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. Muslims as outsiders, enemies and others: The 2016 presidential campaign and the politics of religious exclusion. American Journal of Cultural Sociology 5(3): 355-372.
Braunstein, Ruth and Malaena Taylor. 2017. Is the Tea Party a “religious” movement? Religiosity in the Tea Party versus the Religious Right. Sociology of Religion 78(1): 33-59.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2015. The Tea Party goes to Washington: Mass demonstrations as performative and interactional processes.” Qualitative Sociology 38(4): 353-374. (Lead article).
Yukich, Grace and Ruth Braunstein. 2014. Encounters at the religious edge: Variation in religious expression across interfaith advocacy and social movement spaces. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 53(4): 791-807.
Braunstein, Ruth, Brad R. Fulton, and Richard L. Wood. 2014. The role of bridging cultural practices in racially and socioeconomically diverse civic organizations. American Sociological Review 79(4): 705-25.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2012. Storytelling in liberal religious advocacy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 51(1):110-127.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2011. Who are ‘We the People’? Contexts, Spring 2011.
Manza, Jeff and Ruth Braunstein. 2008. Beyond the ballot box: Social groups and voting in democratic elections. Harvard International Review, 30(1): 40-43.
book chapters
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. “Embattled and Radicalizing: How Perceived Repression Shapes White Evangelicalism.” In Trump, White Evangelical Christians, and American Politics: Change and Continuity, Edited by Anand Sokhey and Paul Djupe. University of Pennsylvania Press. Accepted Manuscript
Braunstein, Ruth. 2019. Beyond the dogmatic believer: religious conviction across the American political divide. Pp.1-22 in Religion, Humility, and Democracy in a Divided America (Political Power and Social Theory, Vol. 36), Emerald Publishing Limited.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. Strategic storytelling by Nuns on the Bus. Pp.289-307 in Religion and Progressive Activism: New Stories about Faith and Politics, Ruth Braunstein, Todd Nicholas Fuist and Rhys H. Williams, Eds. New York: NYU Press.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2014. “Who are ‘We the People’? Multidimensional identity work in the Tea Party,” Pp. 149-173 in Understanding the Tea Party Movement, Nella Van Dyke and David S. Meyer, Eds. Ashgate.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. "Toward a Cultural Sociology of Taxation." Socio-Economic Review, 22(2): 931–952.
Braunstein, Ruth, 2022. "A Theory of Political Backlash: Assessing the Religious Right’s Effects on the Religious Field." Sociology of Religion. 83(3): 293–323.
- Winner of the Distinguished Article Award from the American Sociological Association Section on the Sociology of Religion
- Winner of the Distinguished Article Award Honorable Mention from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Related writing: "The backlash against rightwing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith," by Ruth Braunstein, The Guardian
- Press coverage:
- "Ahead of the Trend: Scholar: America is still reacting to the religious right, in more ways than one," by Jack Jenkins, RNS
- "Opinion: This religious season reminds us of faith’s liberating promise," by E.J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post.
- Listen to a podcast about this research at Sociology of Religion Podcasts.
Braunstein, Ruth, Andrew Whitehead, and Ryan Burge. 2021. “Religion, Politics, and Public Funding for Abortion.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 61(1): 230-41.
Perry, Samuel L., Ruth Braunstein, Philip S. Gorski, Joshua B. Grubbs. 2021. “Historical Fundamentalism? Christian Nationalism and Ignorance about Religion in American Political History.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 61(1): 21-40.
- Press coverage: "Ignorance about religion in American political history linked to support for Christian nationalism," by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2021. “The ‘Right’ History: Religion, Race, and Nostalgic Stories of Christian America.” Religions 12(2): 95.
- Press coverage: "The MAGA Formula Is Getting Darker and Darker," by Thomas B. Edsall, New York Times.
- Listen to a podcast about this research at Straight White American Jesus ("The Nostalgic Myths that Drive MAGA Nation with Dr. Ruth Braunstein")
Baker, Joseph O., Gerardo Martí, Ruth Braunstein, Andrew L Whitehead, Grace Yukich. 2020. “Editor’s Note: Religion in the Age of Social Distancing: How COVID-19 Presents New Directions for Research.” Sociology of Religion 81(4): 357–370.
Braunstein, Ruth, Todd Fuist, and Rhys Williams. 2019. Religion and progressive politics in the United States. Sociology Compass13(2): e12656.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. Boundary-work and the demarcation of civil from uncivil protest in the United States: control, legitimacy, and political inequality. Theory and Society 47(5): 603-633.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. A (more) perfect union? Religion, politics, and competing stories of America. Sociology of Religion 79(2): 172–195.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. Muslims as outsiders, enemies and others: The 2016 presidential campaign and the politics of religious exclusion. American Journal of Cultural Sociology 5(3): 355-372.
Braunstein, Ruth and Malaena Taylor. 2017. Is the Tea Party a “religious” movement? Religiosity in the Tea Party versus the Religious Right. Sociology of Religion 78(1): 33-59.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2015. The Tea Party goes to Washington: Mass demonstrations as performative and interactional processes.” Qualitative Sociology 38(4): 353-374. (Lead article).
Yukich, Grace and Ruth Braunstein. 2014. Encounters at the religious edge: Variation in religious expression across interfaith advocacy and social movement spaces. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 53(4): 791-807.
Braunstein, Ruth, Brad R. Fulton, and Richard L. Wood. 2014. The role of bridging cultural practices in racially and socioeconomically diverse civic organizations. American Sociological Review 79(4): 705-25.
- Winner of the Clifford Geertz Best Article Award from the American Sociological Association Section on the Sociology of Culture
- Winner of the Dennis Gouran Research Award from the Group Communication Division of the National Communication Association
- Reviewed by The Society Pages and Work in Progress (blog of the American Sociological Association's Organizations, Occupations, and Work Section)
- Read about this research at UConn Today, New York Magazine's Science of Us, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, the Deseret News, Business Standard, the Kansas City Star, Psych Central News, Religion News Service, and Yahoo!News India.
- Listen to a podcast about this research. (Also available at the SAGE Sociology iTunes channel)
Braunstein, Ruth. 2012. Storytelling in liberal religious advocacy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 51(1):110-127.
- Winner of Graduate Student Paper Award Honorable Mention from the American Sociological Association Section on the Sociology of Religion
Braunstein, Ruth. 2011. Who are ‘We the People’? Contexts, Spring 2011.
Manza, Jeff and Ruth Braunstein. 2008. Beyond the ballot box: Social groups and voting in democratic elections. Harvard International Review, 30(1): 40-43.
book chapters
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. “Embattled and Radicalizing: How Perceived Repression Shapes White Evangelicalism.” In Trump, White Evangelical Christians, and American Politics: Change and Continuity, Edited by Anand Sokhey and Paul Djupe. University of Pennsylvania Press. Accepted Manuscript
Braunstein, Ruth. 2019. Beyond the dogmatic believer: religious conviction across the American political divide. Pp.1-22 in Religion, Humility, and Democracy in a Divided America (Political Power and Social Theory, Vol. 36), Emerald Publishing Limited.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. Strategic storytelling by Nuns on the Bus. Pp.289-307 in Religion and Progressive Activism: New Stories about Faith and Politics, Ruth Braunstein, Todd Nicholas Fuist and Rhys H. Williams, Eds. New York: NYU Press.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2014. “Who are ‘We the People’? Multidimensional identity work in the Tea Party,” Pp. 149-173 in Understanding the Tea Party Movement, Nella Van Dyke and David S. Meyer, Eds. Ashgate.
- Reviewed in Contemporary Sociology (January 2016)
public writing (selected)
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. “How a movement to resist Christian nationalism took on Project 2025,” August 16, Religion News Service.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. “Catholic Christian nationalism is having a moment,” July 23, Religion News Service.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. “When Can Religion Help Bridge Our Differences?” December 5, Greater Good Magazine.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. "Mike Johnson embodies evangelicals’ embattlement strategy. It may be backfiring." November 6, Religion News Service.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. “Christian nationalists have provoked a pluralist resistance,” April 21, Religion News Service
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "Anti-IRS fearmongering, ‘law and order’ and the GOP,” New York Daily News
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "How the threat of ‘taxpayer-funded abortion’ is being used to mobilize conservative religious voters,” The Conversation
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "How did Republican fearmongering about an IRS ‘shadow army’ go mainstream?" The Guardian
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "The backlash against rightwing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith," The Guardian
Braunstein, Ruth. 2021. "Georgia on My Mind: American Christianity between Mythology and Prophecy." Series on "Faith and the American Insurrection." Berkley Forum.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2019. "Making Budgets Moral Again." Series on "The Religious Left: Memory, Trajectory, Relevance." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. "Political Myopia and Prophetic Vision." Series on "Is This All There Is?" The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. (Excerpt) Prophets and Patriots: Faith in Democracy Across the Political Divide: “A shared vision for a more just country that we all call home.” The Revealer: A Review of Religion and Media.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. "Good Troublemakers." Series on "American Religion, Humility and Democracy." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth, Korie L. Edwards and Richard L. Wood, Co-Curators. 2017. "A Crisis of Political Arrogance." Introduction to Series on "American Religion, Humility and Democracy." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. “A Deepening Political Divide.” University of California Press Blog.
Braunstein, Ruth, Editor. 2016. Series on “The Politics of National Identity,” with contributions from Mucahit Bilici, Rogers Brubaker, Philip Gorski, Peggy Levitt and Geneviève Zubrzycki. The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2016. “Mitt Romney & the Tea Party helped make Donald Trump… Can they unmake him?” Political Power & Social Theory: The Blogpages.
Braunstein, Ruth (Contributor). 2015. “Roundtable: Is the (Tea) Party Over?” Edited by Erik Kojola and Jack Delehanty. The Society Pages.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2014. “The Good, the Bad, and the Uncivil.” Participation and its Discontents. A Blog In Collaboration with the ASA Political Sociology Section.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2010. “Blogging and Academia,” in the Social Science Research Council report, “The New Landscape of the Religion Blogosphere.”
Braunstein, Ruth. 2011. “I would love to read the biography of a book...” (Interview with Fred Appel, Senior Editor, Princeton University Press). The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth and Grace Yukich. 2010. “Toward a Sociology of Social Religion.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth, David Buckley and Grace Yukich. 2010. “Discussing Mosques, Minarets, And Crosses.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2008. “Obama’s Faith in the Common Good.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2008. “Voting in a Year When ‘Muslim’ Was a Slur.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2024. “Catholic Christian nationalism is having a moment,” July 23, Religion News Service.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. “When Can Religion Help Bridge Our Differences?” December 5, Greater Good Magazine.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. "Mike Johnson embodies evangelicals’ embattlement strategy. It may be backfiring." November 6, Religion News Service.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2023. “Christian nationalists have provoked a pluralist resistance,” April 21, Religion News Service
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "Anti-IRS fearmongering, ‘law and order’ and the GOP,” New York Daily News
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "How the threat of ‘taxpayer-funded abortion’ is being used to mobilize conservative religious voters,” The Conversation
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "How did Republican fearmongering about an IRS ‘shadow army’ go mainstream?" The Guardian
Braunstein, Ruth. 2022. "The backlash against rightwing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith," The Guardian
Braunstein, Ruth. 2021. "Georgia on My Mind: American Christianity between Mythology and Prophecy." Series on "Faith and the American Insurrection." Berkley Forum.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2019. "Making Budgets Moral Again." Series on "The Religious Left: Memory, Trajectory, Relevance." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. "Political Myopia and Prophetic Vision." Series on "Is This All There Is?" The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. (Excerpt) Prophets and Patriots: Faith in Democracy Across the Political Divide: “A shared vision for a more just country that we all call home.” The Revealer: A Review of Religion and Media.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2018. "Good Troublemakers." Series on "American Religion, Humility and Democracy." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth, Korie L. Edwards and Richard L. Wood, Co-Curators. 2017. "A Crisis of Political Arrogance." Introduction to Series on "American Religion, Humility and Democracy." The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2017. “A Deepening Political Divide.” University of California Press Blog.
Braunstein, Ruth, Editor. 2016. Series on “The Politics of National Identity,” with contributions from Mucahit Bilici, Rogers Brubaker, Philip Gorski, Peggy Levitt and Geneviève Zubrzycki. The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2016. “Mitt Romney & the Tea Party helped make Donald Trump… Can they unmake him?” Political Power & Social Theory: The Blogpages.
Braunstein, Ruth (Contributor). 2015. “Roundtable: Is the (Tea) Party Over?” Edited by Erik Kojola and Jack Delehanty. The Society Pages.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2014. “The Good, the Bad, and the Uncivil.” Participation and its Discontents. A Blog In Collaboration with the ASA Political Sociology Section.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2010. “Blogging and Academia,” in the Social Science Research Council report, “The New Landscape of the Religion Blogosphere.”
Braunstein, Ruth. 2011. “I would love to read the biography of a book...” (Interview with Fred Appel, Senior Editor, Princeton University Press). The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth and Grace Yukich. 2010. “Toward a Sociology of Social Religion.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth, David Buckley and Grace Yukich. 2010. “Discussing Mosques, Minarets, And Crosses.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2008. “Obama’s Faith in the Common Good.” The Immanent Frame.
Braunstein, Ruth. 2008. “Voting in a Year When ‘Muslim’ Was a Slur.” The Immanent Frame.
