Biography

Dissertation Title: Politics of the Apocalypse: The Effect of Premillennial Eschatology on Politics

 

I am a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Chicago, Illinois and a Northeast Consortium for Faculty Diversity visiting dissertation fellow at the University of Rochester, New York. My dissertation entitled “Politics of the Apocalypse: The Effect of Premillennial Eschatology on Politics” examines the relationship between premillennial eschatology (a theology of the end times) and anti-globalization, anti-government regulation, anti-secularization, anti-environmentalism and pro-Israel policy preference. Political scientists and members of the mass media have become increasingly aware of the important role played by religion in American politics. However, the types of analysis which have predominated research in this field (large-N statistical analysis) have failed to offer substantive insight in to the processes through which belief comes to impact the political world.

My work demonstrates through the use of social network analysis, content analysis ethnography and, political psychology techniques, the causal relationship between theology and policy. Premillennialism is potentially politically significant because proponents suggest that this eschatology forecasts the rise of a political and religious leader (the Antichrist) who sweeps over the geopolitical and economic landscape ushering in the end of days. Premillennialists argue that the disasters and political turmoil of the present put us on the cusp of the final era in human history. A close reading of the premillennialist narrative warns against globalization, decline of religion, government control over citizens, opposition to Israel, and argues against the need for environmental reform. Premillennialism as popularized in best selling novels, the theology of some large denominations/mega churches, and prominent religious and by political leaders has become prevalent in America and the socializing potential is great.

Divided into two segments, an examination of elite behavior and mass attitudes, the dissertation project examines the politicization of premillennial theology by various elites as well as its acceptance by and impact on the mass public. Fieldwork conducted for the mass attitudes segment of the dissertation (the ethnographic and political psychology projects) was supported by a Provost Summer Research Fellowship, University of Chicago. I have also received the Northeast Consortium for Faculty Diversity Dissertation Fellowship, University of Rochester, the Merit Tuition Grant, University of Chicago and a Grodzins Prize Lectureship, University of Chicago to teach Religion in American Politics. The syllabus, for which, was based largely on my current dissertation research. My general research interests include, race and politics, Identity politics, political psychology, qualitative/interpretive methods, pop culture and politics as well as religion and politics.

 

PhD Candidate,

Political Science

University of Chicago