Contact with minority religions raises tolerance even as regional political sorting sharpens Muslim attitudes

Evidence

Over time, religious diversity in the United States has expanded (Eck, 2001; Merino, 2010). Prior studies indicate that contact with minority religions, including Islam, in a given area may increase religious tolerance at an individua ial social issues, such as immigration (e.g., Branton & Dunaway, 2009; Grimm & Andsager, 2011). Additionally, there has been much anecdotal evidence that Americans have become even more politically divided over controversial issues, including views about Muslims (Pew Research Center, 2014b; Telhami, 2016). It seems likely that Republican-leaning states may discuss the religious context of Islam and Muslims differently than more liberal states, given that residents of these states may have been the primary audience and consumers of more right-leaning narratives that promote Christian values and practices (Lamont, Park, & Ayala-Hurtado 2017; Sunar, 2017). — Emily Greene-Colozzi, Amy Adamczyk, and Senahan Kiyal Keles, Differences in Religious Framing of…, 38

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to intergroup contact theory (Allport) and to work on local news ecosystems shaping political identity.