Date on Senior Honors Thesis
5-2021
Document Type
Senior Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.S.
Department
Political Science
Degree Program
College of Arts and Sciences
Author's Keywords
religion; gender; sexuality; Ireland; abortion; policy
Abstract
Over time, organized religion has impacted many aspects of societies across the globe. In this study, I focus on the island of Ireland – a clear case study with a history of sectarian religious divides that play out in a democratic society. Through my analysis I find that religion has operated quite differently on both sides of the Irish border as it relates to public opinion on abortion, sexuality, and gender roles. Specifically, there are striking cross-national differences regarding the importance of religious group identity compared to levels of personal religiosity in shaping public opinion on the issues studied.
To examine the relationship between religious group, personal religiosity, and social attitudes (including abortion rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and gender roles in family), I use International Social Survey Programme Religion data from 1991 and 2008 to conduct bivariate and multivariate statistical models. This analysis reveals three major trends. First, both religious group identity and personal religiosity matter a great deal in Northern Ireland as it relates to social attitudes. Additionally, over time the religiously unaffiliated in the North have emerged as a cohesive and politically distinct group that organizes around liberal social and political values. Lastly, in the Republic, personal religiosity is more influential than religious group identification in determining social values on abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender roles. Subsequent qualitative case studies suggest that modern-day rhetoric from religious elites, politicians, and interest groups are still consistent with these cross-national trends decades later.
Recommended Citation
Collins, Sabrina L., "The impact of religion on gender, sexuality, and abortion politics: a comparative study of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland." (2021). College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses. Paper 256.
Retrieved from https://ir.library.louisville.edu/honors/256
Lay Summary
Over time, organized religion has impacted many aspects of societies across the globe. In this study, I focus on the island of Ireland – a clear case study with a history of sectarian religious divides that play out in a democratic society. Through my analysis I find that religion has operated quite differently on both sides of the Irish border as it relates to public opinion on abortion, sexuality, and gender roles. Specifically, there are striking cross-national differences regarding the importance of religious group identity compared to levels of personal religiosity in shaping public opinion on the issues studied.
To examine the relationship between religious group, personal religiosity, and social attitudes (including abortion rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and gender roles in family), I use International Social Survey Programme Religion data from 1991 and 2008 to conduct bivariate and multivariate statistical models. This analysis reveals three major trends. First, both religious group identity and personal religiosity matter a great deal in Northern Ireland as it relates to social attitudes. Additionally, over time the religiously unaffiliated in the North have emerged as a cohesive and politically distinct group that organizes around liberal social and political values. Lastly, in the Republic, personal religiosity is more influential than religious group identification in determining social values on abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender roles. Subsequent qualitative case studies suggest that modern-day rhetoric from religious elites, politicians, and interest groups are still consistent with these cross-national trends decades later.
