New Release | Public Religion Research Institute Launches New Partnership With Prominent Religion & Politics Scholars

Public Religion Research Institute Launches New Partnership With Prominent Religion & Politics Scholars

WASHINGTON – With the presidential election heating up, and religion and religious groups playing a significant role in shaping the outcome of the election, one of the nation’s leading organizations specializing in research at the intersection of religion, values and public life is expanding the resources available to aid in understanding and covering the 2012 election. Founded in 2009, Public Religion Research Institute and its team have quickly become one of the nation’s leading resources for non-partisan analysis of the role of religion in public life, as well as religious communities’ opinions about topical issues.

Among its enhanced resources, PRRI announced today the launch of a new Affiliated Scholars Program, featuring leading academic voices on the study of religion and politics. As part of the PRRI team, affiliated scholars will regularly add unique insights to “Faith in the Numbers,” PRRI’s research blog. Additionally, affiliated scholars will work with the PRRI senior research team, Dr. Robert P. Jones and Daniel Cox, on a number of peer-review articles.

“This is an exciting time for Public Religion Research Institute. We’re thrilled to be able to provide not only additional original research but more timely insights for better understanding the role of religion in this fall’s presidential election,” said Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI.

2012-2013 Affiliated Scholars include:

• Melissa Deckman, professor of public affairs and chair of the political science department at Washington College;
• Paul Djupe, associate professor of political science at Denison College; co-editor of the Cambridge Journal Politics & Religion;
• Karem Ozan Kalkan, incoming visiting assistant professor of political science at Stony Brook University;
• Laura R. Olson, professor of political science at Clemson University and editor-in-chief of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion;
• and Mark J. Rozell, professor of public policy at George Mason University.

▶ Learn more about the Affiliated Scholars here.

Public Religion Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specializing in research at the intersection of religion, values, and public life.