Strangers as Neighbors: How Religious Dialogue Can Help Re-Frame the Issue of Immigration

A White Paper funded by a grant from the Hagedorn Foundation and the Jesuit Conference. This project hypothesized that a faith-based perspective emphasizing humanism and the search for the common good allows for a more inclusive discursive environment, which could shift the dialogue away from the usual polarized atmosphere more commonly found in such a highly charged politicaldiscourse as immigration. Drawing on a cluster analysis and term frequency index from two focus groups held at two Catholic parishes on Long Island, New York (NY), this paper looks at common frames surrounding the topic of immigration and argues that, when framed in terms of religion and local experience, a more positiveand empathetic discussion of immigration emerges. Alternatively, when participants discussed immigration in terms of a government or institutional frame,a qualitatively more negative dialogue develops. This paper also identifies the tensions that arise for parishioners when priests introduce political issues directly into religious services. This finding indicates broader concerns among congregants related to the separation of church and state that has implications for how the Catholic Church organizes for immigration reform in the United States (US) and invites parishioners into dialogue around hotly contested social and political issues

Confidential to America: Newspaper advice columns and sexual education

The available venues for public discourse concerning sexuality in America can be separated into two broad categories. The first is formal curricula, represented most notably by “official” school- and community-based sexual education programs. The second is informal curricula, particularly the mass media. This dissertation proposes to examine one of the most widely available (and popular) sites of convergence of these two venues: the newspaper advice column. By offering a historical analysis of the cultural reluctance to, and indeed prohibitions on, speaking openly about matters pertaining to sexuality in America, and the traditional lack of venues for this type of discourse, the newspaper advice column is situated as a critical site for learning about, discussing and debating issues of sexuality. The newspaper advice column is argued to be one of the most widely available forums for “sexual education” that includes topics of marriage, dating, relationship patterns, sexual practices and sexual orientation

Confidential to America: Newspaper advice columns and sexual education

The available venues for public discourse concerning sexuality in America can be separated into two broad categories. The first is formal curricula, represented most notably by “official” school- and community-based sexual education programs. The second is informal curricula, particularly the mass media. This dissertation proposes to examine one of the most widely available (and popular) sites of convergence of these two venues: the newspaper advice column. By offering a historical analysis of the cultural reluctance to, and indeed prohibitions on, speaking openly about matters pertaining to sexuality in America, and the traditional lack of venues for this type of discourse, the newspaper advice column is situated as a critical site for learning about, discussing and debating issues of sexuality. The newspaper advice column is argued to be one of the most widely available forums for “sexual education” that includes topics of marriage, dating, relationship patterns, sexual practices and sexual orientation

Consumer myths and the gay men and women who believe them: a qualitative look at movements and markets

Using focus group data from six different conversations in two U.S. cities, this study examines how advertising, corporate policies toward sexual minority employees, and sponsorship of events and charities central to the gay and lesbian community affect the perceived \u27gay-friendly\u27 status of brands and companies. This study also explores how gay and lesbian respondents understand their role as distinct consumers in relation to gay social movements. In contrast to cultural critiques that argue that constructions of gay consumer markets are antithetical to gay social movements, this study shows how actual gay and lesbian consumers not only understand this dialectic, but also use it as both self-validation and as leverage in achieving social gains

Strangers as Neighbors Toolkit: One Parish One Community - A guide for Engaging United States Catholic Congregations in Difficult Dialogues

A Project of the Center for Faith & Public Life funded by the Hagedorn Foundation and the Jesuit Conference. Our research team held two focus groups at two different Catholic parishes on Long Island, New York (NY) and used a cluster analysis and term frequency index to analyze the outcomes of these discussions. Specifically, we examined common frames, or ways that we see the world, surrounding the topic of immigration. Our findings indicate that, when framed in terms of religion and local experience, a more positive and empathetic discussion of immigration emerges. Alternatively, when participants discussed immigration in terms of government or institutional frame, a qualitatively more negative dialogue develops. Further, our research identifies tensions that arise for parishioners when priests introduce political issues directly into religious services. These findings indicate broader concerns among congregants related to the separation of Church and state that has implications for how Catholic Church organizes for immigration reform in the United States (U.S.) and invites parishioners into dialogue around hotly contested social and political political issues. This toolkit, responding to this project\u27s findings provides a means for Catholic congregations to engage in faith-based discussions about the issue of immigration outside of formal religious services