Political scientist Janelle Wong spent this year as a fellow in Washington, D.C.
|
Exploring Immigrants, Churches and Politics
Fellowship supports a year in residence at Wilson Center in nation’s capital
By Orli Belman
Thanks to a prestigious fellowship, USC College political scientist Janelle Wong has spent the year pursuing her research on immigrants and the religious right in residence at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.
Wong, an associate professor of political science and of American studies and ethnicity, is one of only 23 scholars, policy makers and researchers named a 2006–2007 Wilson Center Fellow.
“Woodrow Wilson Center fellowships are among the most prestigious and competitive awards in the field of politics and international affairs,” said USC College Dean Peter Starr. “For Janelle to join such an esteemed group is both a wonderful opportunity for her and a tribute to her stellar work for her two departments and the College as a whole.”
Wong’s research project, “Immigra-tion, Religion and Conservative Politics in America,” focuses on the increasing number of immigrants and the role of religion in politics in the U.S.
“With this fellowship I have been able to really immerse myself in my research and in this uniquely stimulating environment at the Wilson Center,” Wong said. “I’ve been challenged professionally by my peers and excited to delve into my work.”
Wong is looking at Latino and Asian-American evangelical, Pentecostal and charismatic Christian worshippers in the U.S. and how this growing group will affect the Christian right.
“It is not yet clear whether these new immigrants are weakening or strengthening the traditional conservative Christian political movement,” she said. “They add numbers but they bring new viewpoints and new priorities to the movement, and they change the racial and ethnic base of the movement.”
After writing the book Democracy’s Promise: Immigrants and American Civic Institutions (University of Michigan Press, 2006), Wong concluded that religious institutions, because of their larger size and more involved membership, play a more important role in politics than she expected.
“It is really churches and religious institutions that are the largest ethnic organizations in our society,” she said. “I wanted to explore their role more deeply because of the role that religion plays in politics and the fact that evangelical Christians are one of the most important voting blocks in contemporary American politics.”
The project is an offshoot of work that Wong began with Jane Iwamura, assistant professor of religion and of American studies and ethnicity, with a grant from the College’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture. |
