Atheists As “Other”: Moral Boundaries and Cultural Membership in American Society

@article{Edgell2006AtheistsA,
  title={Atheists As “Other”: Moral Boundaries and Cultural Membership in American Society},
  author={Penny A Edgell and Joseph Gerteis and Douglas Hartmann},
  journal={American Sociological Review},
  year={2006},
  volume={71},
  pages={211 - 234}
}
Despite the declining salience of divisions among religious groups, the boundary between believers and nonbelievers in America remains strong. This article examines the limits of Americans' acceptance of atheists. Using new national survey data, it shows atheists are less likely to be accepted, publicly and privately, than any others from a long list of ethnic, religious, and other minority groups. This distrust of atheists is driven by religious predictors, social location, and broader value… Expand
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