God's Country in Black and Blue: How Christian Nationalism Shapes Americans' Views about Police (Mis)treatment of Blacks

• DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/gj5zr
• Publication Date: 2018-07-04T22:44:00Z
• Authors: Samuel Perry; Andrew L Whitehead; Joshua Davis
• Keywords: Prejudice (legal term); Conservatism; Blame; Christian right

Research shows that Americans who hold strongly to a myth about America’s Christian heritage―what we call “Christian nationalism”―tend draw rigid boundaries around ethnic and national group membership. Incorporating theories connecting boundaries, prejudice, perceived threat with tendency justify harsher penalties, bias, or excessive force against racial minorities, examine how nationalist ideology shapes Americans’ views police treatment of black Americans. Analyses 2017 data from probability sample show adherence nationalism predicts will be more likely believe treat blacks the same as whites shoot often because are violent than whites. These effects robust even when including controls for respondents’ religious political characteristics, indicating influences attitudes over above independent conservatism parochialism. In fact, find religiosity policing in opposite direction. Moreover, observed patterns do not differ by race, suggesting provides cultural framework can bolster anti-black prejudice among people color well We argue solidifies identity such less willing acknowledge discrimination victim-blame, appealing overtly racist notions blacks’ purportedly tendencies shootings. outline implications these findings understanding current racial-political climate leading up during Trump Presidency.