Something within: religion in African-American political activism

Frederick Harris wades into a perennially contentious debate: the degree to which religious experience is central to African American political involvement and success.

For the first time applying the new techniques of a cultural resource model to this question, Harris makes a strong case for the formative influence of religion, both as a source of strength and often determinative in practical political consequences.

Harris's argument overturns a large body ofquantitative research on political activity, principally in the Chicago religious community.