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A concluding chapter stresses that the political choices of American clergy have ramifications for both democratic citizenship & studies of politics. Each chapter is summarized, pointing out that the authors all emphasize that understanding the choices clergy make, & their consequences, requires analyzing the personal & theological backgrounds of clergy, as well as the contexts in which they work. The findings are related to existing research on the influence of context on clergy's choices & their consequences, noting that studying choices is easier than investigating the political consequences of clergy action, an area in dire need of more research. Attention is also called to the lack of research on the contemporary political choices of American clergy of non-Christian faith traditions. The importance of understanding the religious dimensions of American politics is discussed & it is hoped that this volume will generate interdisciplinary discussions that will add to bodies of knowledge on broader social phenomena like social movements, opinion leadership, & organizational politics. J. Lindroth

A concluding chapter stresses that the political choices of American clergy have ramifications for both democratic citizenship & studies of politics. Each chapter is summarized, pointing out that the authors all emphasize that understanding the choices clergy make, & their consequences, requires analyzing the personal & theological backgrounds of clergy, as well as the contexts in which they work. The findings are related to existing research on the influence of context on clergy's choices & their consequences, noting that studying choices is easier than investigating the political consequences of clergy action, an area in dire need of more research. Attention is also called to the lack of research on the contemporary political choices of American clergy of non-Christian faith traditions. The importance of understanding the religious dimensions of American politics is discussed & it is hoped that this volume will generate interdisciplinary discussions that will add to bodies of knowledge on broader social phenomena like social movements, opinion leadership, & organizational politics. J. Lindroth

Examines rational-choice models that seek to span the theoretical identity-expression gap: (1) analyses in which choice phenomena replace identity & expressive phenomena, denying their importance; (2) analyses that take identity & expressive motivations as given aspects of individual preference & exploring their impacts in rational-choice terms; & (3) analyses that construct more foundational rational-choice models of social interaction & employ them to look at the character & effects of identity & expressive phenomena occurring therein. Focus is on the interrelated & identity-expressive & irrational phenomena of voting behavior, partisanship & ideology, & ethnic politics & violence, drawing on various models & theoretical perspectives. It is found that rational choice & identity expression, despite being seen as mutually exclusive analytically & theoretically, can complement & clarify each other; limitations to the application of such theories are delineated, noting that these differ from those typically elaborated. J. Zendejas

Compares the assumptions of new institutionalism & rational choice theory. New institutionalists assume that: institutions are based on constitutive & regulatory rules that carry meaning for & determine the actions of a particular population; agreement about the appropriateness of the rules is usually exogenous; rules are typically taken for granted; actors enact rather than act; & the persistence of institutions cannot be deduced from observations about individual motives. Rational choice theorists assume that: individuals are the sole source of purposive motor energy; individual actions are optimally chosen in relation to beliefs about the outcomes of actions; preferences are transitive over actions; & affects range over an actor's welfare/interests only. Thus, the key points of contention between new institutionalists & rational choice theorists appear to be about neither the nature of institutions nor their ubiquity, but about how their genesis & persistence are to be explained. M. Maguire

An introductory chapter notes the historical impact of clergy on American politics & suggests that the emphasis on morality that is often attached to political issues places clergy in a unique position to influence policy debates & shape democratic norms. Special attention is given to what compels today's clergy to become involved in politics. The belief of some clergy that politics cannot be separated from daily life, & hence the church, is not universally shared within the religious community & political involvement can be risky for clergy in terms of both their livelihood & legitimacy. The nature of current morality politics is discussed, along with the ability of religious leaders to shape the interplay of religion & politics; the influence of the "social theologies" of different religious traditions on political choices; how personal contexts like race or gender affect clergy's decisions about participating in politics; & the degree to which clergy's political statements influence the views of church members & democratic politics in general. J. Lindroth

An introductory chapter notes the historical impact of clergy on American politics & suggests that the emphasis on morality that is often attached to political issues places clergy in a unique position to influence policy debates & shape democratic norms. Special attention is given to what compels today's clergy to become involved in politics. The belief of some clergy that politics cannot be separated from daily life, & hence the church, is not universally shared within the religious community & political involvement can be risky for clergy in terms of both their livelihood & legitimacy. The nature of current morality politics is discussed, along with the ability of religious leaders to shape the interplay of religion & politics; the influence of the "social theologies" of different religious traditions on political choices; how personal contexts like race or gender affect clergy's decisions about participating in politics; & the degree to which clergy's political statements influence the views of church members & democratic politics in general. J. Lindroth

Studies indicate female clergy are more likely to express social justice concerns & to be more theologically & politically liberal than their male counterparts. However, little attention has been given to what experiences affect the political views of women clergy or how their attitudes translate into political action. Data drawn from in-depth interviews with 31 women clergy serving in religious traditions open to theological liberalism in Omaha, NE, & Washington, DC, were used to explore how gender-related experiences affect political attitudes/choices. The focus was on mobilization, context, & socialization related to both the kinds of issues that inspire women clergy to become involved & obstacles to political participation. The findings confirmed that gender affects political choices because the professional experiences of women clergy differ from those of men. Feminist socialization & being a member of a professional minority provide an impetus for engagement in political action, especially on issues like discrimination & abortion. The potential for increased tensions between liberal & conservative religious groups as more women enter the ministry is discussed. 3 Tables. J. Lindroth

Studies indicate female clergy are more likely to express social justice concerns & to be more theologically & politically liberal than their male counterparts. However, little attention has been given to what experiences affect the political views of women clergy or how their attitudes translate into political action. Data drawn from in-depth interviews with 31 women clergy serving in religious traditions open to theological liberalism in Omaha, NE, & Washington, DC, were used to explore how gender-related experiences affect political attitudes/choices. The focus was on mobilization, context, & socialization related to both the kinds of issues that inspire women clergy to become involved & obstacles to political participation. The findings confirmed that gender affects political choices because the professional experiences of women clergy differ from those of men. Feminist socialization & being a member of a professional minority provide an impetus for engagement in political action, especially on issues like discrimination & abortion. The potential for increased tensions between liberal & conservative religious groups as more women enter the ministry is discussed. 3 Tables. J. Lindroth

New agricultural biotechnologies that can design agricultural products at the molecular level are beginning to impact society in social, technical, & ethical ways without the safeguards of democratic rules & regulations. Not only can these methods transform the agrifood system, but they can alter ecosystems, the organization of agriculture, & the development, or lack of development, of Third World countries. As industries create microorganisms, plants, & animals to specifically meet human needs & desires, moral & ethical dilemmas are raised; & the expanded claims to intellectual property rights for genetic advancements could privatize plants & animals that were once public domain. Such changes could take the market of crops such as cocoa, vanilla, sugar cane, & coffee away from Third World countries; & give unprecedented power to large corporations. Most of this transformation is taking place quietly within the private sector without public awareness, input, or decision making. While claims of humanitarian reasons for increasing agricultural output are given, the taking of jobs from Third World countries leaves their peoples without the means of purchasing food & other necessities. The author details current biotechnological advances in plants, enzymes within foods, & animals. While biotechnologies could benefit society, they need to be democraticized to ensure that they are used for beneficial purposes. 1 Table. L. A. Hoffman

Discusses the historical & current relationship between the social sciences, the scientific method, & postmodern theory. Drawing on the methodology & conclusions of Galileo, modern science has attempted to reduce the distance between science & reality through objective methodology & heightened rationality. It is argued here that the scientific method relies more on the choice of appropriate language & vocabulary than on actual correspondence between methodology & fact. Social scientists have traditionally adopted this skewed approach to life through the scientific method, which blurs rather than reveals reality. The boundaries between explanation & understanding, or nature & humanity, have little meaning in the real world, & it is suggested that the social sciences must be seen as continuous with literature, history, anthropology, politics, etc. Both Thomas Dewey & Michel Foucault advocate rejection of traditional notions of rationality, objectivity, method, & truth. However, it is concluded that Dewey's vocabulary allows more room for hope & solidarity within the social sciences. T. Sevier

Examines the usefulness of an equilibrium-based rational choice theory for analysis of the efficacy of informal & formal social institutions in combining beliefs & conduct in such a way as to constrain individual behavior. An equilibrium-based rational choice model of repeated cooperation in the two-player prisoner's dilemma game is constructed to ascertain the organizational effectiveness of various equilibria. Absent communication, equilibrium is achieved in a kind of tit-for-tat strategy of individual punishments. When the model is revised to allow communication, it is found that a true institution is achieved in which the whole group monitors & punishes deviant behavior, but this outcome is accomplished at significant costs. Such costs are partly ameliorated with the establishment of a central communication system directed by a single enforces. While the creation of a director reduces the costs of communication, it also raises the issue of who monitors the director. The notion of institutions as equilibria is defended as a useful approach for analyzing institutional stability & the effects of institutions in various areas of social life. 4 Tables. D. M. Smith

Draws on 1998/99 interviews with 75 white families in Boston, St. Louis, & Los Angeles to explore white parents' choice of neighborhood to live in & schools for their children, focusing on the role of race in the decision. It is asserted that the community & school choices of white parents are important facets of the reproduction of race & class stratification. Interview excerpts demonstrate how white parents, enabled by their race & class privilege, define "good" neighborhoods & "good" schools in terms of race. Attention is given to the in-depth interview techniques & methodological studies employed in the study, arguing that the approach fostered candid revelations on the part of the participants to reveal the degree of their racialized actions. J. Zendejas