Religion and Political Socialization

Abstract This article argues that there is a poor understanding of the process by which citizens acquire political knowledge, political attitudes, and expectations concerning political activity. The article first reviews the history of political socialization as a field of study, and then describes the role that different agents have played in the socialization process. It discusses religious socialization and religion as an influence on both youth and adult political socialization. The article also provides a review of related literature that addresses how the church can serve as a socializing and mobilizing venue for politically quiescent religious groups.