Prophets and Patriots - by Ruth Braunstein (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In the wake of the Great Recession, Americans across the political divide flocked to local citizens organizations, where they worked to refocus political attention on the needs of ordinary people like them. This book chronicles the efforts of two such groups--a progressive faith-based community organizing coalition and a conservative Tea Party group. At first glance, these groups could not seem more different: in addition to significant demographic differences between them, their members also lined up on opposite sides of nearly every national policy debate during this period. But these differences do not tell the whole story of these groups. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with both groups, this book reveals surprising similarities between their efforts that are typically not acknowledged, while also tracing more subtle differences between them that typically go unrecognized. It shows that in the face of rising anxiety and frustration, members of both groups chose to wake up, stand up, and speak up. They dedicated themselves to becoming active citizens, capable of inserting their voices, values, and knowledge into public debates about issues that impacted them. In so doing, they came to understand themselves as prophets and patriots, respectively, carrying forward the promise of American democracy. Yet when the groups set out to actually enact this vision - by holding government accountable and putting their faith in action - their styles of active citizenship diverged, reflecting different ways of imagining how American democracy ought to work and the proper role of active citizens within it."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Prophets and Patriots takes readers inside two of the most active populist movements of the Obama era and highlights cultural convergences and contradictions at the heart of American political life. In the wake of the Great Recession and amid rising discontent with government responsiveness to ordinary citizens, the book follows participants in two very different groups--a progressive faith-based community organization and a conservative Tea Party group--as they set out to become active and informed citizens, put their faith into action, and hold government accountable. Both groups viewed themselves as the latest in a long line of prophetic voices and patriotic heroes who were carrying forward the promise of the American democratic project. Yet the ways in which each group put this common vision into practice reflected very different understandings of American democracy and citizenship.

From the Back Cover

"This is important reading for anyone who wants to understand the practical meanings of populism in America." --Paul Lichterman, Professor of Sociology and Religion, University of Southern California

"This is an important book for everyone worried about the polarization of American politics. Presented with sympathy and insight, Ruth Braunstein's research helps clarify the competing--and sometimes surprisingly similar--moral visions, self-understandings, and motivations of activists on the right and left." --Craig Calhoun, President, Berggruen Institute

"Ruth Braunstein's book could not be more timely. She demonstrates that, even in our deeply polarized times, Americans on the right and left share fundamental presuppositions about what sustains and what undermines democracy. Her sophisticated theorizing about civil discourse and civil religion informs extensive, open-minded field research. Prophets and Patriots is a salutary read in our troubled times." --Jeffrey C. Alexander, Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology, Yale University

Review Quotes

"Braunstein's multisite comparative ethnography of these two active citizen groups makes for a compelling book that should be read in courses and disciplines beyond sociology. ... Braunstein tackles a sensitive and provocative subject--what it means to be a good citizen in a democratic society, with depth and nuance. I strongly endorse and highly recommend her book."-- "American Journal of Sociology"

"A wonderfully cogent, clear, and sympathetic description of what are often misunderstood groups. The comparison of community organizing and the Tea Party leads to generative insights into how contemporary forms of democratic citizenship should be understood and assessed."-- "Reading Religion"

"Braunstein's impressive fieldwork, analytic rigor, and fine writing will illuminate the next generation of scholars and students of public religion in America."-- "Sociology of Religion" (8/13/2018 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Ruth Braunstein is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Connecticut.