2005 The Struggle for Pluralism in America: Religion, Ethnicity, and Shared Power in Political History, Lodz

The Department of American Studies and Mass Media Faculty of International and Political Studies, University of Lodz & The Institute of English Studies Warsaw School of Social Psychology hosted a two-day seminar:
The Struggle for Pluralism in America: Religion, Ethnicity, and Shared Power in Political History
(Lodz, June 8-9, 2005)

The seminar was organized by W. Oleksy and P. Skurowski with Prof. Jeff Kleiman as the principal instructor. Prof. Kleiman’s stay in Lódz and Warsaw was sponsored by the Fulbright Senior Specialist Program.

FORMAT: Each day was divided into roughly two important periods of American history and was designed to present key issues of interest and importance. A lecture with some presentation materials (graphs, charts, maps) preceded each reading to help illustrate the important points. Then followed a discussion of relevant materials and topics and presentations by participants who were expected to read the articles and book chapters before the seminar.

PROGRAM:

Day 1.
Introduction: Uniquely American Politics: The Blend of Decentralization and Federalism
Theme: Emergence of the Anglo-Protestant host culture and the ideal of homogeneity

Readings:

“Turning Piety in Hard Cash: The Marketing of Nineteenth-century Revivalism” by Kathryn T. Long from God
and Mammon: Protestants, Money and Market 1790-1860 Mark Noll ed., Chp.11.
“Ethnoreligious Political Behavior in the Mid-Nineteenth Century” by Robert Swierenga in Religion
and American Values from the Colonial Period to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 7.
“Who Elected Lincoln?” by Joseph Schafer in American Ethnic Politics Lawrence Fuchs ed., Chp 3.
“The Politics of Piety: Culture and Party” and “The Politics of Realignment: The Cross of Culture”
by Paul Kleppner from The Cross of Culture, Chps. 2 and 8.
“The Cold War” by Richard Polenberg in One Nation Divisible: Class, Race,
and Ethnicity in the United States since 1938, Chp 3.

Movie viewing followed by a discussion: A Raisin in the Sun

Day 2
Theme: Cultural pluralism and its limitations 1948-present: Issues and Examples

Readings:

“Roman Catholics and American Politics 1900-1960: Altered Circumstances and Continuing Patterns”
by James Hennesy S.J. in Religion and American Values from the Colonial Period
to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 13.
“Religion and Wisconsin Voting in 1960” by Harry Scoble and Leon D. Epstein
in American Ethnic Politics Lawrence Fuchs ed., Chp. 9.
“Religion, Voting for President and Party Identification 1948-1884” by Lyman A. Kellstedt
and Mark A. Noll in Religion and American Values from the Colonial Period
to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 16.
“Ethnic Politics and the Persistence of Ethnic Identification” by Michael Parenti
and “The Persistence of Ethnic Voting in Urban and Rural Areas” by Robert Lorinskas
in The Ethnic Factor in American Politics Brett W. Hawkins and Robert A. Lorinskas eds.
“White Protestants in the Class Structure” and “White Protestants in the Civic Arena”
from White Protestant Americans: From National Origins to Ethnic Group
by Anderson, Chps 11 and 12.
“The Religious Pecking Order” in One Nation Under God: Religion
in Contemporary American Society by Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour Lachman, Chp. 7.
“Born-Again Politics” in Prime Time Preachers by Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann, Chp. 7.
“Scopes: Who Won?” from Under God: Religion and American Politics by Garry Wills, Chp. 9.
“Opening and Closing the Door: The Debate over Immigration” and “Church, State and Society”
from Identity, Community and Pluralism in American Life William C. Fischer,
David A. Gerber, Jorge M. Guitart, Maxine Sellers eds., Chps. 7, 10.

Prof. Kleiman also gave a series of lectures and seminars both in Warsaw and Lodz on the following topics:

1) The Myth of the Melting Pot

2) Redeemer Nation: An American Obsession

3) Testing Pluralism: American Politics since 1938

4) Religion. Labor and Progressive Reform in Grand Rapids, Michigan