Awarded the 1999 Best Book Award by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists A Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2000

Description

One of the first book-length studies devoted to religion and African-American political activism in a generation, Something Within explores how Afro-Christianity, in various ways, promotes the political activism of African-Americans. Combining ethnography, history, contextual analysis, and survey research, this book illustrates the participatory effects of Afro-Christianity by examining its institutional, psychological, and cultural influences. Going beyond the opiate-inspiration debate that has dominated research on the subject, Author Fredrick C. Harris advances a new theory of religion as a political resource for a "civic culture in opposition."

Reviews

"Something Within is a wonderful blend of statistical data and telling anecdotes, all pointing to the importance of the church in the politics of the African-American community. The book takes seriously the impact of religious belief and practice in empowering citizens to be politically active. This is a book that should be read by anyone interested in religion and politics, in the role of voluntary associations in building civil society, or in African-American politics."--Clyde Wilcox, Georgetown University

"W.E.B. Du Bois saw black religion and political activism in America as gifts that black people gave to America, thus nurturing its democratic practices and its soul in spite of the racism and rejection they faced. In considering both religion and political activism as interacting and multidimensional factors, Professor Harris provides a theoretically sophisticated and ethnographically rich window into the way the black church organizes and offers these gifts in contemporary society. Overall this book is an absolute must read for anyone interested in the political implications of religion in a multi racial United States for the twenty first century."--Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Colby College

"This book fills an important gap and will, I suspect, make an immediate scholarly impact. One hears in these pages the cadences of the black church, the plaintive yet passionate cry of the spiritual, the defiant tone of prophetic challenges against injustice. Harris has captured the essence of this important phenomenon in a way that surpasses previous scholarship. I have been waiting for 20 years for a book like this."--Kenneth D. Wald, University of Florida

"Destined to become one of the most important works on the influence of religion on African-American political behavior, this book blends a rich theoretical perspective with rigorous empirical analysis to shed new light on the historic black church as opiate or liberator debate. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Something Within is a must read for those interested in inextricably linked developments in political culture, political participation, and race. This is political science at its best."--Linda Faye Williams, University of Maryland, College Park

Product Details

240 pages; 20 figures; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-512033-2ISBN10: 0-19-512033-7

About the Author(s)